Premier prix du Festival « Fenêtre sur l’Europe » de Vyborg, 2001
Plot synopsis
This chamber comedy concerns a dying mother who is certain that she will depart "any day now." She expresses her grief that she has not lived to see her only daughter, Tania, get married or have children. A chance knock on the door by a wealthy entrepreneur bearing champagne and roses who has the wrong apartment block for a date gives Tania a sudden flash of inspiration to put a happier spin on the surely imminent and sad demise of her beloved ma. The man, played by Yankovsky himself, decides with some bemusement to go along with the scheme.
Much to Tania's horror, not only does the stranger start to relish his role rather too much, but her mother's self-prognosis for survival has now increased to "only a matter of weeks." As Tania tries to extricate herself by bringing in a phoney long-lost illegitimate daughter, she only gets herself into more trouble and unwittingly extends her mother's life expectancy with the delight she is giving her.
Source : www.kinoeye.org