Irony of Fate (1976) - rom com

Perhaps a bit of an old fashioned dating culture and even cringey by today’s standards, but offered a glimpse into the Soviet urban lifestyle of the 1970s. Premised on the stereotype that centrally planned Soviet cities all looked the same, comedy (and romance) ensued. One of the most well known Soviet films of all time, due to the fact that they always air the movie on television every New Year’s Eve when families gather, a tradition that continues to present day’s Russia. For maximum cultural immersion, watch the movie on New Year’s Eve.

Solaris (1972) - sci fi

The Soviet response to Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey! Even though Tarkovsky was unaware of the Kubrick film, Solaris became an unintentional counterpart to 2001 that neatly contrasted the ideological difference between the capitalist West and the Soviet Union. While Kubrick depicted a futuristic vision set to technical perfection that propels mankind forward, Tarkovsky asked the question of whether scientific advances are even capable of solving the perplexing nature of humanity. Prepare yourself emotionally for one of the greatest science fiction films ever made.