I Am (2009)

I Am (2009)
aka: Me, Ya
Director: Igor Voloshin
Writer: Igor Voloshin
Country: Russia Runtime: 88 min Soundtrack: Various
Cast: Artur Smolyaninov, Andrei Khabarov, Oksana Akinshina
The film tells the story of a young Russian in early 90s, trying to escape the army in a psychiatric clinic and after intensive compulsory treatment released years later. Then as a documentary film maker he gets involved in Chechen conflict. There he meets his apparent death and between life and death he recalls his life and realizes it as a life of a whole generation.

Russian director Igor Voloshin's semi autobiographic story about his life growing up in 90's Russia. 'I Am' follows young Geroi, whose youth was spent mostly hanging with his mates on the streets looking for his next way to get wasted. Now a young man having been beaten and abused by the authorities, hes put in a criminal mental institute. The film follows his struggle inside the institute, and the even darker internal struggle he faces. Instead of facing the grim reality of his situation, he does his best to keep himself drugged out of his mind in a dreamlike fantasy world, where his remembered past intertwine with his re-imagined present.


Imagine if the addicts in Trainspotting got taken to the mental asylum featured in 12 Monkeys. Highly enjoyable drugged out fantasy drama, featuring a fantastic range of colorful hyper stylized visuals. Most the film takes place in the hazy institutionalized mind of the central character Geroi played superbly by Artur Smolyaninov, kinda like hes Fight Clubs Tyler Durdon. The plot is padded out with various meetings with a female doctor named Nina (Oksana Akinshina) great looking eye candy. These meetings usually spark some back story of his wasted youth and regret, as he remembers his life growing up. These parts introduce his old friends like the popular junky dealer come guru Rom (featuring a movie stealing performance by actor Aleksey Gorbunov). The film does have a few minor weak areas, I could have lived without the obvious religious imagery like walking on water and being nailed to a cross. Also the labored style of the eventual resolve, its good the director mentions the friends he's lost and infairness its done with great style. It just felt some what unfitting like 'Iggy Pop' singing 'Lust for Life' then ending it with a 'But You Don't Wanna Live It' disclaimer. I HIGHly enjoyed it, not many Russian film makers become known outside of the eastern bloc, but from what I've seen so far from director/writer Igor Voloshin (this and his short film Atlantic) he could very well be in that few who do. I even hear hes working with the team behind the Russian hit Night Watch next.

Themes Included: Drug Addicts ● Meth Lab ● Electro Shock Therapy
Sexy Doctor ● Mental Institute ● Wayward Youths ● Horse Driven Car

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 8 out of 10 Good]
[Deathcount N/A]
[Gorequota 5/10]