The 1970s in the Baltic states. During the years of Soviet stagnation, the young architecture student Pauļus is acutely aware of what can and cannot be said or done. When he is chosen to represent the Soviet Union abroad, he feels the space for maneuver shrinking around him. Entering the cruising circles, Pauļus begins to explore the freedoms afforded by the cover of night. And suddenly, the boundaries seem to open up…

Turning their attention to the little-known queer community in Latvia under the Soviet regime, creative and life partners – Latvian director Skarule and Lithuanian filmmaker Vengris – reflect on the “double life” of oppressed and repressed homosexuals. Drawing on the idea of life’s performativity through Goya’s gothic angels and demons, they have crafted a finely honed feature film within its genre. As the filmmakers explain, the film examines “the outer life we show to the world and the inner life we keep to ourselves. The more repressive our society, the further apart these two worlds drift.” The film’s world premiere will take place at the Kyiv International Short Film Festival.