Illusions

A quiet, talky chamber piece that drifts between tenderness and unease, leaving you to ponder whether any love story is ever fully true.

Directed by

Alisa Melikova

Genres

Romance

Starring

Pavel Shatu, Irina Abraham, Alexander Notkin

Overview

This is a story about love—the kind we chase, the kind we settle for, and the kind that sneaks up on us when we’re not paying attention. It’s about permanence, or the lack of it, and the terrifying realisation that maybe nothing in life—no feeling, no relationship—ever truly stays the same. Alisa Melikova’s debut film Illusions (2025) is a rich tapestry of emotions, following two couples whose lives have been entwined for 50 years. It poses the question: Is love real, or just a story we tell ourselves? And in the end, does it even matter?

How it feels

Melancholic, tense, earnest and cynical. Slow-burning and demanding.

About

Love, memory, identity, betrayal

Content

Mild sexual content and language. No violence or gore.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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