Adapted from a novel by Mikhail Borgashevsky, this deceptively simple tale of the accidental meeting of village housewife Nurya and Sasha, a Moscow taxi driver, immediately achieved cult status on release. Tatyana Lioznova, who would go on to direct iconic television drama Seventeen Moments of Spring, was one of only a handful of female directors in this period, and the film benefits from her intimate and delicate perspective on human connection. It also showcases the work of composer Aleksandra Pakhmutova.
This is a sweet, charming film with a poignant aftertaste. A film about "what ifs" and "might have beens". It achieved exactly what it set out to do, nothing more, nothing less.