In the last joint class, we viewed a clip from a film during which a Russian family argued aggressively during a family vacation outside. During our deconstruction of the clip as a class, we noted some of the more important characteristics such as the strong use of vulgar language, the location as an outdoor environment and so on. All of these aspects helped to represent a change in traditional norms. However, there was another directorial decision that we did not discuss in class. The director used a change in “levels” that worked particularly well. The young woman who was arguing with her family started kneeling down and eventually made her way to not only a standing position, but to a position in which the ground appeared to be at a higher point of elevation. In short, she literally rose above her family in order to assert herself.

This change in levels provides the viewer with an interesting perspective on youth culture. It would appear that for the younger generation, one must not identify by their families (at least not as strictly as was necessary for past generations). Perhaps in general, this moment represents a less homogenized Russia. Given social freedoms that were on the rise, it was easier to be an individual in every sense, not only within the context of family. Indeed, these points are emphasized by the director’s use of levels.