East/West (1999)

In the aftermath of the Second World War, June 1946, Stalin deceptively extends an olive branch, inviting Russian émigrés to return to their homeland. As a ship teeming with hopeful returnees from France docks in Odessa, a grim reality unfolds. Amid the merciless execution and imprisonment, only a Russian physician and his family are spared. Torn between two worlds, the physician and his French wife find themselves in Kiev, her passport shredded, his knowledge of their predicament all too clear. She yearns for the familiar boulevards of France, while he understands they are prisoners in their own homeland, their lives a careful dance of obedience. Fate intertwines their path with a renowned French actress touring through Ukraine, and the desperate wife seizes the chance to plea for help. Concurrently, she becomes a beacon of hope for a young swimmer, who years later, dares to dream of freedom and attempts a daring escape. The omnipresent KGB casts a long, suspicious shadow over them, their hopes of liberation dwindling with each passing day. Their survival hinges on patience, the physician's measured restraint, and the enchanting beauty of the French wife. The promise of freedom hangs tantalisingly close, yet remains just out of reach in this immersive tale of courage and endurance.

East/West is a drama movie featuring Catherine Deneuve.

It is possible to buy East/West on Amazon Video and Apple TV.