A STOLEN MEETING

Dir. Leida Laius. 1988.

Estonia. 102 min.

Estonian and Russian with English subtitles.

SATURDAY, MARCH 7 - 5PM
TUESDAY, MARCH 10 - 7:30PM
SUNDAY, MARCH 22 - 5PM
MONDAY, MARCH 30 - 7:30PM

A STOLEN MEETING is best described as a bleak but empathetic indictment of self-dishonesty. Valentina (Maria Klenskaja) is a young mother. After her recent release from a Russian prison camp, Valentina returns to Estonia with a desperate determination to find her young son Jüri (Andreas Kangur), whom she had previously given up for adoption. Valentina loves Jüri, and is convinced that if only they were reunited, all would be right with her world. Valentina herself was raised in an orphanage, and blames all of her misfortunes on her tough upbringing. When Valentina finds Jüri living comfortably with a wealthy family in Tartu, she is faced with a difficult choice.

Leida Laius once described A STOLEN MEETING as a spiritual sequel to SMILE AT LAST. Whereas SMILE AT LAST finds a lively energy in the coming-of-age of an adolescent in less than ideal circumstances, A STOLEN MEETING takes a starker look at the other side of abandonment. A STOLEN MEETING–Leida Laius’ final film–won Best Feature Film at Venice’s Festival of Female Directors in 1990.