Dau. Katya Tanya

Cinematographer Jürgen Jürges (of Fassbinder fame) shoots the film in a claustrophobic 4:3 aspect ratio. The color palette is desaturated khaki green and faded beige. The famous title card appears: "Beech-Nut" (a reference to a type of gum that appears as a recurring motif). The camera rarely moves. It observes. It lingers on Tanya’s hands as they wash a cup with surgical precision. It holds on Katya’s face for two full minutes as she oscillates between seduction and contempt.

DAU. Katya Tanya (2020), directed by Ilya Khrzhanovskiy and Jekaterina Oertel, is a feature film from the immersive DAU project focusing on female subjectivity, where an idealistic librarian finds connection with a journalist amid the oppressive atmosphere of a Soviet-era institute. Critically recognized for exploring the "female gaze" within a semi-scripted, highly controlled environment, the film depicts a struggle between personal intimacy and state surveillance. For a detailed academic analysis of the film's themes, see Apparatus Journal www.apparatusjournal.net From Soviet Hairstyles to Contemporary Gender Politics DAU. Katya Tanya