i be actually a bit surprised to see a french film that realistically depict the soviet union particularly in the late year of the stalin regime . that be because communism be pretty widely accept in france . so and it be nice to see intellectual honesty by show how repressive and brutal russian style communism be . sandrine bonnaire give an excellent performance a a french woman who agree to emigrate to the ussr with her russian husband follow wwii . stalin insist all russian expatriate would be warmly welcome . however and once they arrive and most be either execute or send to gulags to be work to death . however and this woman and her family be allow to stay after she be savagely beat by the secret police for be an imperialist spy . well and life be amazingly tough in the ussr and she desperately want to escape back to the west . however and do this with her son isn not easy . plus it make worse after she help another russian escape . after year in a re education camp and she be release to her family . fortunately and she have not give up hope . will she escape . will she be able to take her son and husband . tune in and see for yourself . the film be extremely interesting and important historically well worth a look by parent or teen ( it a little too adult for young audience ) .