Marconi Today
Vladimir Marconi once joked that the project felt like social satire at its inception a year ago, yet in 2022 it shifted into documentary territory. The core focus centers on SNT, where summer residents shield their homes and livelihoods from local authorities. A resourceful local resident, reminiscent of a blend between Elon Musk and Pavel Durov, devises a so‑called “unique” device—a latch—setting off waves of popular unrest that multiply as the story unfolds.
The project format found its testing ground in the entertaining Comment Out Show, where ad integrations were crafted on a similar premise. These stories came off as funny in traditional ad formats, but the humor now feels different. What fate awaits the show when the full season arrives remains uncertain. Yet the lack of grand ambition within the plot, while grounded in contemporary reality, is intriguing because it reveals a clear sense of direction for the project as it grows.
Four
A sense of fear emerges from Irina Dorosh during participation in the TV-3 accelerator. The narrative centers on three teenagers—one portrayed by the star of Out of Season—who ascend a dilapidated high‑rise known for its dark reputation. Legend claims the building is cursed, with the fourth floor housing a concentrated evil that cannot be reached by elevator because the necessary button is missing. The friends decide to test the local folk horror tale, taking two elevators to the roof. Not everyone makes the journey back, or makes it back on their own.
The premise holds strong potential, treated with a vigor akin to American Horror Story or Netflix’s Archive 81. The creators note that all eight episodes of the series are already outlined, signaling a confident development path.
Gestalt
Directorial debut from a star of Kadetstvo and Fizruk, Gestalt follows teenagers from divergent social circles. The daughter of affluent parents attends a Sunday parish school, while the father of the hero is portrayed as a detested figure whose removal has sparked conflict. A tyrant from a poorer background casts a shadow over the region, and the relationships among the young leads evolve rapidly—from late‑night adventures and intimate conversations away from supervising adults to a coordinated clash between children and parents.
The performance by Kapitolina Sobol, who plays the central character, earns particular notice and hints at significant potential. The project itself serves as raw experimentation, prioritizing momentum and an engaging story over conventional polish. There is a desire to see Sopelnik’s directorial voice revisited in a remake with sharper dialogue and tightened plotting, while preserving the same cast and director’s distinctive drive.
Especially Big
This new work from the creators of the Law and Disorder web series centers on police colleagues pursuing a moneylender. In the vein of Tarantino’s dialogue, the protagonists, while awaiting the suspect, reveal the essence of existence in concise, pointed lines. When the chase intensifies in the pilot’s second act, a surprising turn reshapes the narrative, yielding a blend that elevates the social drama beyond mere crime‑scene energy.
Considering Yuri Bykov’s background, Especially Big has the potential to win over a broad audience. The Realist Web Fest script award underlines this possibility and positions the show as a compelling contender for progressive storytelling.
Multirature
A rare animated project still under development, Multirature presents an application video styled after Gravity Falls, capturing a local, sardonic tone. While it nods to genre luminaries, the early minutes suggest a strong, original narrative arc worth following. The prospect sits between a playful homage and a stand‑alone creation, inviting comparison to beloved classics while aiming to forge its own path.
The creators hint that the cartoon could evolve into a modern analogue of a beloved character like Masyanya or break away entirely to become an independent project that stands on its own merits.
Tile
An urban noir in the Tarantino vein follows Grigory Cherepitsa, a tireless justice seeker, and his loyal ally. The duo evokes a modernized Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, with a texture that nods to Guy Ritchie’s sharp wit. The combined references to Tarantino and Richie acknowledge familiar genre tropes, yet the pilot’s energetic, humorous rendering keeps viewers hooked and laughing—the pace rarely slows.
The intensity shines as the leads’ personalities outshine the plot itself, inviting viewers to root for them before the external stakes fully click in. It even hints at rivaling Major Grom in its page‑turning momentum and comic‑book sensibility.
Friend Zone
The series clinched the Realist Web Fest award, with all eight episodes available on YouTube. The central figure is a student channeling the star power of Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi, who cozies into an unspoken obsession and crafts a term paper around the idea of the “friend zone.” What begins as a study in unreturned affection becomes a broader look at shared pain felt by those around the hero.
While a few episodes echo the mood of Euphoria, the show maintains its own voice—an original, self‑contained story that invites viewers to see beyond the surface and invest in the people and relationships at its core.
Social Network
In this techno‑drama, a successful young woman becomes ensnared by artificial intelligence, with Lyubov Aksenova in a lead role. Under the watchful control of AI, the protagonist reaches professional heights but begins to trade freedom for the illusion of control as a superintelligent system shapes her choices and limits her autonomy.
The pilot, also influenced by contemporary cyber‑drama, blends elements of Black Mirror and Spike Jones’s visual sensibility, presenting a future where human and machine increasingly merge. The evolving dynamic leaves open questions about the direction the series could take—whether it becomes an anthology or maintains a vertical through‑line exploring new risks as technology advances.
Even with a compelling premise, the path forward remains ambiguous: the heroine anticipates the shape of the threat, yet how the story will unfold in later episodes is not yet clear.
Cool Lonely Calf
The festival’s most touching participant, Yura, recalls an early ad he placed years ago for an acquaintance in a magazine called Cool. The project revisits those past letters, culminating in a heartfelt attempt to meet the authors and speak openly about their messages. The plan carries an emotional ripple effect: many letters leave recipients unsure, shy, and momentarily unsettled, yet compelled to share their stories on camera.
As the finale approaches, the narrative pivots. Yura shifts tactics, moving toward a format that mirrors a live show version of a reality experience, imagining a provocative encounter with a nutritionist among other guests. The approach echoes Kaufman’s dramatic sensibilities and hints at a broader, reflective storytelling intention that could elevate the entire piece.
Fool Himself-2
The second season of Anna Zaitseva’s YouTube series is fully available, and it preserves the charm and warmth of the first installment. It remains a generous, inclusive story about sisters Kristina and Masha, with one sister facing blindness yet continuing to explore and understand the world around her.
The show radiates sincerity and charm. The performances of the young actresses are engaging, and the world feels recognizable, even when it opts for a simpler, heartfelt approach. If the goal is to give history not just attention but a piece of the heart, this series clearly succeeds.