Sylvestra Le Touzel

When tyrannical dictator Josef Stalin dies in 1953, his parasitic cronies square off in a frantic power struggle to become the next Soviet leader. Among the contenders are the dweebish Georgy Malenkov, the wily Nikita Khrushchev and Lavrenti Beria, the sadistic secret police chief.

Directed by Mike Leigh, this 2008 film follows the life of Poppy, a spirited and eternally optimistic primary school teacher in London, portrayed by Sally Hawkins. The narrative delves into…