Tanya: Dau. Katya

You will not enjoy "DAU. Katya Tanya." That is the wrong verb. You will survive it.

For film scholars, it is a radical experiment in the limits of performance art. It asks: If we remove the script, the safety words, and the fourth wall, can we capture true human despair? The answer is a resounding, terrifying "yes."

For casual viewers (trigger warning: extreme alcoholism, psychological torture, self-harm), the film serves as a mirror. It reflects the quiet wars that happen in millions of kitchens, where the battlefield is a linoleum floor and the casualty is human dignity.

The relationship between Katya and Tanya is not a narrative. It is a ritual. And by the final shot—Tanya alone at the table, Katya passed out in the bedroom, the camera slowly racking focus to a fly on a dirty plate—you realize there is no moral. There is only the loop.

If you want, I can: expand this into a 2,000-word short story, outline a novella chapter-by-chapter, or draft a screenplay treatment for Katya and Tanya.

DAU. Katya Tanya (2020) is a feature-length film directed by Jekaterina Oertel and Ilya Khrzhanovskiy, serving as a significant, albeit controversial, entry in the massive DAU cinematic project. The film shifts the project’s focus toward female subjectivity and the forbidden nature of queer relationships within the oppressive framework of a 1950s Soviet research institute. Narrative Plot and Setting

Set within the hyper-realistic, immersive world of "The Institute"—a reconstructed Soviet-era science center—the story follows Katya (Ekaterina Yuspina), a young librarian whose idealistic views on love are repeatedly crushed by a series of hollow affairs with men, including the scientist Dau himself.

A Shift to Tenderness: Amidst the cold and often violent atmosphere of the Institute, Katya finds a rare sense of connection and understanding with Tanya (Tatyana Polozhiy), a journalist.

The Conflict: Their burgeoning lesbian relationship represents a "domestic normalcy" that stands in direct opposition to the Institute's rigid social structures. DAU. Katya Tanya

The Intervention: The relationship is ultimately deemed "unacceptable for a Soviet woman" by the First Department (the state security services), leading to a harsh and tragic intervention that mirrors the systemic homophobia of the era. Themes and Critical Analysis

As one of the few entries in the DAU cycle to pass the Vito Russo Test for LGBTQ+ visibility, the film is frequently analyzed for its depiction of non-normative love in a totalitarian state.

The Grinding of Sand on Tiles…”: Forms of Female Subjectivity in “DAU. Katya Tanya”

The premise is deceptively simple. Two young women, Katya (Ekaterina Gulyanich) and Tanya (Tatyana Polozhina), share a cramped communal apartment room in the closed "Institute" of the DAU universe. They are not scientists or secretaries; they are bodies. Outside, the KGB (the "Regime") conducts arbitrary searches. Inside, the women play a private game.

Tanya, the older and more cynical of the two, forces Katya to submit to a series of escalating humiliations. She orders her to strip, to crawl on the floor, to simulate sexual acts with food, to become a dog. Katya, oscillating between laughter, shame, and genuine distress, complies. The line between theatrical play-acting and psychological terrorism dissolves within minutes. The camera does not flinch.

DAU. Katya Tanya is not a film you enjoy. It is a film you survive. As a piece of cinema, it is impeccably crafted. The sound design is claustrophobic—every creak of the floorboard, every rustle of a nylon shirt feels like a threat. The performances are so raw they feel illegal. As a meditation on how authoritarianism seeps into the bedroom, it is frighteningly effective. The game between Katya and Tanya is a perfect metaphor for a society where citizens are forced to play degrading roles just to survive until tomorrow.

But as an ethical object, it is a minefield. Does the film critique the male gaze, or does it merely provide a new genre of female degradation for that gaze to consume? When the female director, Jekaterina Oertel, co-signs this vision, does that justify it?

Ultimately, DAU. Katya Tanya is the DAU project in microcosm: brilliant, repulsive, and impossible to ignore. It will make you angry. It should. But if art’s purpose is to provoke a reaction, to make you question the contract between viewer and screen, then this film succeeds. The real question is whether the price of that ticket—paid by Katya, Tanya, and your own conscience—is one you are willing to accept. You will not enjoy "DAU

Rating: ★★★½ (Four stars for craft; zero stars for comfort)

Streaming on the DAU digital platform. Viewer discretion is strongly advised, not for nudity or sex, but for psychological cruelty.

DAU. Katya Tanya is a provocative feature film from the sprawling, multi-platform cinematic experiment known as the DAU project. Directed by Ilya Khrzhanovskiy and Jekaterina Oertel, the film serves as a character-driven entry into a series that blurs the lines between reality and historical simulation.

Set within a massive, 24/7 recreation of a Soviet research facility dubbed "The Institute," the film follows Katya, a librarian searching for human connection in a world defined by totalitarian control. Narrative and Plot Summary

The film focuses on the emotional journey of Katya, played by professional model Ekaterina Yuspina in her first leading role.

The Search for Love: Katya is portrayed as a romantic whose ideals are repeatedly tested by a series of disappointing affairs with men at The Institute.

A Forbidden Connection: After these failures, Katya finds genuine tenderness with a colleague, a journalist named Tanya (played by Tatyana Polozhiy).

State Intervention: Their relationship becomes the target of the "First Department," the state security services. In the Soviet context of the film, their bond is deemed "unacceptable," leading to a harsh intervention by the authorities. Themes and Cinematic Style The premise is deceptively simple

Slide 1:

Slide 2:

Slide 3:

Slide 4:

The reception of "DAU. Katya Tanya" has been marked by critical acclaim for its bold storytelling and innovative approach to filmmaking. Critics and audiences alike have praised the film for its ability to engage on a deep emotional level, offering a window into the lives of its protagonists that feels both intimate and expansive. The project has contributed significantly to discussions around the intersection of art and documentary, pushing the boundaries of how stories can be told within the cinematic medium.

The Characters:

The Plot: They are running a psychological experiment on a new "subject" (the viewer/audience).