Firebird

Synopsis

A British-Estonian romantic drama based on the memoir of Sergey Fetisov, The Story of Roman and set in the Soviet Air Force during the Cold War. Sergey is a young Soviet Air Force private counting down the last weeks of his service, escaping into his camera and a gentle flirtation with Luisa, the base commander’s secretary. When charismatic fighter pilot Roman arrives, their connection quickly deepens into a dangerous, all‑consuming love affair, shadowed by the threat of the KGB and severe punishment for their relationship.

Roman urges Sergey to follow his heart to drama school in Moscow, but a year later Sergey is crushed to be invited to Roman and Luisa’s wedding, their marriage soon producing a child yet never quite silencing Roman’s longing for him. The men eventually reunite, secretly building a shared life in Moscow until Luisa discovers the truth at Christmas and fury tears them apart.

Roman is later sent to fight in Afghanistan, where he is killed, leaving Sergey to face Luisa’s lingering anger alone. In the end, Sergey returns quietly to his world of theatre, watching a performance of Stravinsky’s The Firebird, the music Roman once opened his eyes to, and carrying their love as something he will never quite leave behind.

Production Info