DAU. Katya Tanya is not entertainment. It is a stress test of the viewer’s morality.
Regardless of where you stand, the film lingers. Days after watching, you will not remember a plot point; you will remember the specific, exhausted way Tanya exhales when she hears Katya’s key in the lock. You will remember that love, when stripped of mutual respect, looks exactly like a prison cell.
Rating: ★★★½ (Artistic ambition, moral complexity)
Warning: Contains pervasive psychological abuse, coercive control, and non-simulated emotional distress.
DAU. Katya Tanya (2020) is a divisive, 103-minute entry in Ilya Khrzhanovskiy's massive and controversial DAU project . Unlike the more brutal and visceral installments like Natasha, this film leans toward a melancholic, psychological melodrama focused on lesbian romance and female subjectivity under Soviet totalitarianism. Plot Summary
The story follows Katya (Ekaterina Yuspina), a young librarian at the Institute whose idealistic views on love are repeatedly crushed by cynical reality and failed affairs with men. She eventually finds genuine tenderness and connection with Tanya (Tatyana Polozhiy), a journalist colleague. Their fragile happiness is ultimately dismantled by the State Security department, which deems their relationship "inappropriate" for a Soviet woman. Critical Perspectives DAU. Katya Tanya
Reviews for the film are highly polarized, often reflecting broader feelings toward the entire DAU experiment :
A "Female Gaze" within DAU: Some scholars and critics argue that the film successfully centers female subjectivity and provides a rare moment of "tenderness" in an otherwise machismo-driven, cold series.
Stylistic Departure: Reviewers from Letterboxd note that this entry feels stylistically different—it uses non-diegetic music and faster editing, giving it a "half-baked melodrama" feel compared to the raw realism of other chapters.
Diminishing Returns: Some fans of the project found this installment disappointing, citing a "shoddier" narrative structure and feeling that its critique of totalitarianism was relatively superficial compared to earlier entries like Degeneration. Regardless of where you stand, the film lingers
Explicit Content: Like much of the series, the film features lengthy and explicit sequences of sex and masturbation, which some viewers find provocative and others see as unnecessary "smut". Key Details DAU. Katya Tanya (2020) - eggylettuce - WordPress.com
The reception of "DAU. Katya Tanya" has been marked by critical acclaim for its bold storytelling and innovative approach to filmmaking. Critics and audiences alike have praised the film for its ability to engage on a deep emotional level, offering a window into the lives of its protagonists that feels both intimate and expansive. The project has contributed significantly to discussions around the intersection of art and documentary, pushing the boundaries of how stories can be told within the cinematic medium.
What makes Katya Tanya distinct from a standard domestic drama is the meta-context of the DAU production itself. Reports of psychological manipulation on set—actors not allowed to leave character, real emotional and physical distress—echo the film’s content.
Critics have argued that Khrzhanovsky isn’t exposing cruelty; he is orchestrating it. Watching Katya Tanya, you cannot shake the feeling that the actors’ pain is authentic. When Katya slaps Tanya, or forces her to undress, or manipulates her into staying, are we watching a performance, or are we complicit in documented abuse? or forces her to undress
"DAU. Katya Tanya" represents a fascinating intersection of cinema and reality, storytelling and documentation. Through its unique approach to narrative and character development, the film offers viewers a chance to engage with the material on a profound level. As a piece of cinematic art, it challenges conventions and invites reflection on the nature of storytelling and the power of film to capture the human experience.
There are no police in this film. No neighbors intervene. No family calls. In the closed system of the DAU universe—much like the closed system of a totalitarian state or an abusive relationship—there is no justice, only physics. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction of pain.
The film refuses catharsis. There is no dramatic escape, no final breaking point. The final frames suggest that tomorrow will be exactly like today. Tanya will cook dinner. Katya will accuse her of poisoning it. And they will fall into the same bed, because the abyss between them is easier to face than the silence of being alone.
