Goldfish

Set in 1946 Kyrgyzstan, Goldfish follows a woman who has evacuated from Leningrad with her two sons, ages six and ten. Their father is in the hospital, severely wounded from the war, leaving the family in a dire situation. They fight for survival by selling homemade rugs and scavenging through the ruins of abandoned homes for anything useful.

The narrative takes a poignant turn when the brothers discover a book containing the fairy tale "Goldfish" by Alexander Pushkin in a dump. This book becomes a source of comfort and hope, as their mother reads it to them before bed. The story of the goldfish and its magical wishes increasingly intertwines with their struggles, inspiring dreams of a better life, including the longing for their father's return.