| Once Lied | |
| Native Name: | Russian: Единожды солгав… |
| Director: | Vladimir Bortko |
| Music: | Vladimir Dashkevich |
| Cinematography: | Anatoly Lapshov |
| Editing: | Leda Semyonova |
| Studio: | Lenfilm |
| Runtime: | 96 min. |
| Country: | Soviet Union |
| Language: | Russian |
Once Lied (Russian: Единожды солгав…|Edinozhdy solgav...) is a 1987 Soviet romantic drama film directed by Vladimir Bortko.[1] [2] [3]
The film tells about the complex emotional experiences of the Soviet conformist artist Alexander Kryukov. He was once a participant in the banned Bulldozer Exhibition, and after its defeat he finally “reforged”, becoming an official socialist realist, painting ceremonial portraits of production leaders commissioned by the authorities. The advent of Perestroika awakened his former oppositional thoughts. At the same time, stagnation in creativity, caused by nihilism, laziness of spirit and the patronage of his boss, leads Kryukov to a “midlife crisis.” Bitter sobering by reality ultimately leads him to repentance and reassessment of life.[4]