This film is part of Rentals

Zoology 15 rating

Middle-aged Natasha grows a tail and falls in love in Ivan Tverdovsky’s absurd tale of contemporary Russia.

Drama 2016 87 mins

Director: Ivan I. Tverdovsky

Overview

Middle-aged Natasha, who shares her life with her mother and an aged cat, works as a procurement officer in a zoo, where she is the butt of her colleagues’ jokes. However, there is something mysterious about her and we soon discover that, unknown to them, Natasha has grown a tail. She goes to the doctor and has X-rays taken at the hospital, but her condition is considered inoperable. She then begins a romance with Peter, a young radiologist and, at the age of 55, new life experiences begin to open up. As rumours spread and develop (about a woman marked by the devil), she is led to define a new reality.

Ivan I. Tverdovsky’s realist approach to his absurd contemporary fairy tale inserts itself into the realities of contemporary Russian life. Resonant and compelling, it features a captivating performance by Natalia Pavlenkova as Natasha.