The story follows one night of the pathologist Aleksey Abrikosov’s and his apprentice Sasha Gavrolov’s life, who in theory manage to overcome death by embalming the body of Vladimir Iljitsh Lenin. Ever since the embalmment their entire lives have been attached to Lenin’s corpse. The accomplishment makes Abrikosov “a hero of Socialist labor”, and as a result he has to live in Kudrinskaja skyscraper with other heroes of the socialist labor. Kudrinskaja’s residents are all heroes of Soviet society until one night they’re dragged down from the top floor into the basement for an execution due to their luxurious lifestyle. One night, just prior to the May Day celebration, Abrikosov receives a phone call from his apprentice Sasha that there is a problem with Lenin’s body. Apparently there is a fly inside the Lenin’s sarcophagus.
Welcome to Moscow of 1936 and into the world of Stalinist terror where no human is worth more than a fly.
“I think “Mausoleum” is a dark comedy about Soviet Stalinistic society during 1930’s. That’s why in some part story even feels a bit anecdotic or theatrical. The story is sort of a “Stalin’s play” as in my view everyone were degraded merely to puppetry in Stalin’s “great screenplay”, especially during the 1930’s Stalinistic purge.” – director Lauri Randla.
