I don’t know who the beast is. The plot of the film revolves around a childless married couple Sophia and Trofim. They have been married for many years and are desperate to have children of their own. One “beautiful” day, Sophia invites her husband to take a 14-year-old girl named Gania (aka Agafya), whose father dies and she remains an orphan. Sophia loves the girl very much, treats her as a native, does not leave her bed during a severe illness. Trophim, on the other hand, begins to pay attention to Ghana only a few years later. This is not a parental feeling. One day Sophia returns home from church earlier than usual and the truth is revealed to her. Gania and Trofim do not consider themselves guilty before Sophia, and she becomes just a shadow in her house, her love for Trophim does not weaken. They will all be rewarded for their sins. Sophia lives like a ghost, she seems to be gone, she silently carries her misfortune through the whole film. But one day she can no longer stand the silent mockery of Ghani and kills the girl with the butt of an axe. Then he wraps the body and takes the caravan to be buried in the wasteland. Trophim is not long sad for the young mistress, again lives with Sophia as if nothing had happened. Sophia becomes happy and desirable again, and, oh miracle, she is expecting a baby! And of course, she gives birth to a daughter (which is very symbolic), after which she no longer has the strength to keep her terrible secret, which kills her from the inside. Trofim takes the blame...
Now a little bit about the main characters.
Ganya
For the first half of the movie, I was sure it was the beast. At first a helpless orphan, then a loving and tender daughter of Sophia and, finally, a selfish, insolent, evil mistress of Trofim.
Trophim
First, a loving and caring husband, who is saddened by the inability to have children with a beloved woman. Then a vile traitor, a cruel man. I hated him until the end of the film, and even taking the blame for what his wife did, I don't think he atoned for it. It was he who pushed Sophia into a terrible crime.
And finally, Sophia
A weak-charactered and soft, malleable woman who makes all concessions to her beloved husband, and even after a terrible betrayal, her love did not pass. But how much courage it took this weak woman to remove a rival from the life of her husband.
All the actors played first-class. I just want to say, “I believe you!”
But still I can not give a high assessment of the film, it made a very negative impression on me and a nasty aftertaste remains after it, as if to touch something nasty and sticky ...