Oliva, Igor and Rex

What it’s about

In the 1980s USSR, Olya, nicknamed Oliva, grows up in a village with her shepherd dog Rex. She is convinced she understands animals and easily connects with any of them, whether a dog or a goat. Having accidentally read her grandmother's entire library, she is unusually erudite and has a precociously adult view of the world. Her best friend Igor is practical, devoted, and ready to support her adventures. When her parents take her to the city, her familiar world breaks apart. A neighbour, Matilda, looks after her and tries to instil a love of art and discipline, but she herself is gradually drawn into Oliva's remarkable world. In the city, Oliva must find new friends and get used to completely different rules.

What hooks you

Aleksandr Zhigalkin directs this family comedy. Olivia Mints plays Oliva, and Timofey Veselkov appears as the Reader. Filming took place in Moscow and the surrounding region.

Who it’s for

It suits viewers who like gentle family comedies set in the late Soviet era, with a quirky heroine, animal antics, and the clash between rural freedom and city expectations.