The film takes place in Moscow – the capital and the largest city in Russia with a population of more than 12 million people. Despite of that, Moscow looks completely empty in the film. Empty park with naked trees, where Alyosha walks, empty staircase, empty streets, empty school lecture room where volunteers interview Alyosha’s friend, empty Community Center where Boris finds Alyosha’s jacket and, in the end, Alyosha’s empty room that undergoes reconstruction. At the end of the film we see Boris and Zhenya, who are now living with their new partners. But in these new lives they are still unhappy. Emptiness of their new relationships is emphasized by TV news on the background.

• In your opinion, what does the emptiness mean in Loveless? What function does it have in the film?

Loveless is devoid of any bright colors. Instead, grey color and dark shades dominate in the film. The grey day is followed by the dark night, in which people and objects are blurred. The darkness only thickens throughout the film. The dark staircase of the house, the dark Community Center, the dark morgue. Darkness emphasizes the feelings of emptiness and hopelessness.

• In your opinion, how does the color choice of the film influence the plot? Please describe how did the film style of Loveless influence your viewing experience?

Practical task: Ask students to prepare a short (10-15 min.) presentation about film style of any film of their choice. Advise them to tell about the specifics of the film style, about the staging, color choice, cinematography and their functions in the film.