You are here:

Tsoy

Name: Tsoy
Director: Alexey Uchitel
Released: 2020
Duration: 98 min

Representation Score

3.7/10

Limited

2020

Director

Alexey Uchitel

Runtime

98 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Tsoi is a period drama that emphasizes the historical and systemic changes during the collapse of the Soviet Union. It succeeds in depicting the cultural shifts of the time, using the protagonist as a symbol of change. However, the film lacks diversity in its social representations. It stays focused on the specific, homogeneous demographics of the 1980s Russian rock scene, offering limited LGBTQ+ or racial diversity. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its portrayal of the decline of Soviet institutions and the tension between individual expression and state power.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Tsoy have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film focuses on the heterosexual relationships within the late-Soviet rock scene. There are no characters with LGBTQ+ identities or narratives.

How does Tsoy portray gender?

Fair

Women play a significant role in the emotional core of the story, despite the male-dominated rock subculture. Their personal conflicts highlight their psychological depth, yet they remain closely tied to the central male figure.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Tsoy?

Limited

The film reflects the ethnic homogeneity of Leningrad and Latvia during the Perestroika era. It studies the specific Russian cultural context without broadening its cast to include diverse backgrounds.

How does Tsoy represent religion and culture?

Good

The film captures the tension between youth culture and the declining Soviet establishment. It portrays the rock subculture as a site of resistance, showing the shift from collective ideals to individual expression.

Does Tsoy include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of visible or invisible disabilities that serve as central character arcs or drive the narrative forward.

Present on Screen

Sophisticated portrayal of the transition from Soviet collectivism to Western-influenced individualism.
Effective critique of traditional state power and restrictive social institutions.
Nuanced exploration of the emotional and psychological impact following a cultural icon's death.

Limited or Absent

Lack of LGBTQ+ representation or narratives challenging heteronormativity.
Limited racial and ethnic diversity reflecting a very narrow historical demographic.
Gender dynamics remain largely centered around the orbit of a central male figure.

Official Synopsis

15 August 1990. Viktor Tsoy, the Soviet Union’s most famous rock star, leader of the band Kino, a symbol of freedom and change, dies in an accident on a Latvian highway. The bus driver who was involved in the tragic accident will bring his body back to Leningrad. A party of mourners – Tsoy’s wife and her new boyfriend, his mistress, his producer, his young son and an obsessed photographer – are part of the trip back. This is going to be a long trip, the perfect occasion for an agonizing unravelling of love, jealousy, ambition, and greed.

How are these scores produced? →