“In the midst of the collapsing USSR, the favourite stand-up comedian of the regime begins challenging censorship”

The year is 1984, and Boris Arkadiev, a fictional Soviet stand-up comedian, is unraveling under the weight of fame, censorship, KGB "patronage," and his own insecurities. Finally, the comedian snaps and - armed with the exotic American notion of "insult humor" - takes his revenge.

“Idov’s exceptionally clever dialogue is matched with a sharp understanding of structure, culminating in a terrific bathhouse scene with more than casual nods not just to “Julius Caesar” but to the whole fall of the Roman Empire.” - Jay Weissberg (Variety)