AlovingfilmtributetoRussianfilmmakerLarisaShepitko,whodiedtragicallyinacaraccidentin1979attheageof40.Thisdocumentarybyherhusband,ElemKlimov,includesexcerptsfromallofShepitko'sfilms,andherownvoiceisheardtalkingaboutherlifeandart. ElemKlimov'sgrief-strickenelegyLarisaexaminesthelifeofhislatewife—thefilmdirectorLarisaShepitko—throughaseriesofdirect-addressinterviewsandphotomontages,setagainstamournfulvisual-musicalbackdrop.Typically,Klimovfilmshissubjects(whichincludehimselfandseveralofShepitko'scollaborators)withinastark,snow-coveredforest,itstangledweboftreesstandinginasmetaphoricalrepresentationofaperhapsinexpressiblesuffering,theresultofShepitko'sprematuredeathwhilefilmingheradaptationofValentinRasputin'snovellaFarewelltoMatyora.InterweavinghomemoviefootagewithsequencesfromShepitko'swork(MayaBulgakova'spensiveplanecrashreminiscencefromWingstakesonseveralnewlayersofresonanceinthiscontext),Larisa'smostpowerfulpassageisitsfirstaccompaniedbythegrandiosefinalmusiccuefromShepitko'sYouandI,KlimovdissolvesbetweenaseriesofpersonalphotographsthatencompassLarisa'sentirelife,frombirthtodeath.Thisbriefsymphonyofsorrowanticipatesthecatharticreverse-motionclimaxofKlimov'sComeandSee,thoughbyplacingthescenefirstwithinLarisa'schronology,Klimovseemstobeworkingagainstcatharsis.Thepainisclearlyfresh,thewoundstillfestering,andKlimovwants—aboveall—tocapturehowdeepmisery'sknifehascut.
