The Student

Adapted from Marius von Mayenburg's German play, Martyr, Kirill Serebrennikov's satirical allegory on the control exerted by the Russian church and state has much wider implications in our troubled world. The story centres on biology teacher Victoria Isakova, whose liberal views are challenged by pupil Pyotr Skvortsov. An Orthodox zealot, he resorts to scriptural quotation, nudity, a gorilla suit and a large wooden cross to turn headmistress Svetlana Bragarnik against Isakova and draw impressionable classmate Aleksandr Gorchilin into his orbit. The stylised performances mean that Serebrennikov occasionally edges towards melodrama. But, from the opening row with his mother (Julia Aug) and the disruption of a swimming session, Skvortsov brings a ferocious Machiavellian fervour to his antisemitic feud with the emotionally fraught Isakova that enables Serebrennikov to make his political points with a provocative potency. Atmospherically designed and photographed in arresting long takes, this often makes for gruelling viewing, especially when the heavy metal soundtrack kicks in.