"Elena" is a Russian drama film directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev and released in 2011. The movie tells the story of Elena (Nadezhda Markina), a middle-aged woman who has married Vladimir (Andrey Smirnov), a wealthy man who lives in Moscow. Elena is originally from a small town and has a son, Sergei (Alexey Rozin), from a previous marriage. Vladimir also has a daughter from a previous marriage, Katya (Elena Lyadova).
As Vladimir reaches the end of his life, he decides to leave his wealth to his daughter Katya, cutting out his wife Elena and her son Sergei from his will. Elena, who has always been subservient to her husband, is devastated by this decision. She realizes that she won't be able to afford the lifestyle she's used to after her husband's death, and that she and Sergei will have to rely on their meagre savings.
Elena contacts Sergei, asking him for help. Sergei is a struggling artist who lives in a small apartment in a working-class neighbourhood. He is married to a young woman, but their relationship is strained.
Elena offers to help Sergei pay for his daughter's education in exchange for his help in convincing Vladimir to change his will. Sergei agrees, and the two embark on a plan to get Vladimir to change his mind. However, their plan takes a dark turn, and Elena is forced to make a difficult choice.
The movie explores themes of class, wealth, family relationships, and the human desire for power. It won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011.