@_CarolMorley #Mermaid A very good film. I detected more "Smashing Time" (1967), George Melly's satirical survey of Swinging London, than "Amélie" (2001). And one second of "Toni Erdmann" (2016). Contrast "Mermaid" (2007) with the Moscow (and soundtrack) of "Mimino" (1977).

"The exams turned out to be not very difficult. But I didn't find my surname in the list of those who got in." The city sucks this spirit out of her. (She returns to the young man she'd dealt with earlier.) Most innocent-in-the-capital pictures include going home as an option.

Mariya Shalayeva's performance is very watchable. She's 26 playing 18 looking 16. She has that positive young woman's life force / saviour complex that powers the best romantic comedies. It's no "Sweet November" (1968) though. He's not Anthony Newley and this isn't New York.

She's actually very alone (like her grandmother). She makes one friend in the whole film (and is shocked when he turns up in a dream). A wish goes wrong when she dares to benefit herself. Her sacrifice is not worth making. She's a tragic figure beneath the joie de vivre.

Talking of symbolism: she holds a hedgehog stuffed toy. The hedgehog represents wisdom in Russian folklore. She's going to figure out a plan. Stierlitz makes an image of one during "Seventeen Moments of Spring" (1973). They make a nice change from the horses, wolves and bears.

We're back to "A Star Is Born" (1937): a man's footprint disappears from the sand... but lives on in the Walk of Fame. Check out "Merton of the Movies" (1919 magazine serial, 1924 lost movie) / "Make Me a Star" (1932 remake) for Hollywood's previous take on small-town dreamers.