Batya (film)

Batya
Directed by	Dmitry Yefimovich
Written by	Aleksey Litvinenko Pavel Tikhomirov Aleksandr Kagarmanov
Produced by	Anton Zaytsev Artyom Loginov Anton Shchukin
Starring	Vladimir Vdovichenkov Elena Lyadova Stanislav Starovoytov Nadezhda Mikhalkova Andrey Andreev Sevastyan Bugayev Diana Yenakayeva
Cinematography	Aleksandr Tamanov
Production company	Good Story Media
Distributed by	Central Partnership
Release date	February 23, 2021 (2021-02-23)
Running time	75 minutes
Country	Russia
Language	Russian

Batya (Russian: Батя — a dad) is a 2021 Russian comedy film directed by Dmitry Yefimovich. It was released to theaters on February 23, 2021 by Central Partnership.

Plot

Max's father, Vladimir, is turning 70, so Max invites him to celebrate in Moscow. However, Vladimir changes his mind at the last moment, prompting Max to travel to his father’s home, bringing along his reluctant wife, Irina, and their children, Dima and Nastya. On the way, family tensions rise as Max and Irina clash over their parenting methods, triggering a series of flashbacks to Max’s childhood, where Vladimir is depicted as a stern and unyielding figure who showed love in tough, unconventional ways. Growing up during the turbulent post-Soviet 1990s, Max recalls how Vladimir taught him to read using political newspapers and count with gravestones, and once even involved him in smuggling factory materials to make ends meet. Despite these harsh lessons, the memories reveal a complex father who, while distant, was driven by his sense of duty in a collapsing world.

When the family arrives, they find Vladimir has taken a job as a night watchman due to his small pension, refusing all financial help from Max. Inside his childhood home, Max reflects on the pain of his mother leaving when Vladimir struggled with alcohol after the Soviet Union’s fall. Confronting his father, Max accuses him of emotional neglect, revealing the deep wounds of never hearing words of love. The turning point comes as Vladimir admits he should be more open with his family, while Max acknowledges that despite his father’s coldness, he holds cherished memories that made his childhood feel happy. This shared moment of understanding bridges the gap between them, showing that while imperfect, their bond endures.

Cast

• Vladimir Vdovichenkov
• Elena Lyadova
• Stanislav Starovoytov
• Nadezhda Mikhalkova
• Andrey Andreev
• Sevastyan Bugayev
• Diana Yenakayeva

External links

• Batya at IMDb