Aritmiya

As opposed to his predecessor, the new head of the emergency department intends to fully comply with the relevant laws and regulations, an approach which in turn leads to almost absurd working conditions for the paramedic teams. The Russian emergency medical service epitomises the system's inability to provide social services that address the general public's needs and organise them accordingly. Hard-working Oleg and his colleagues are thus doomed from the start. In the absence of Katya's support, Oleg's life threatens to go off the rails.

Taking a documentary-style approach, the film's camerawork draws the audience closer to its protagonists. At the same time issues are broached, which are currently the object of much socio-political debate in contemporary Russia. MM