When the Apple Trees Bloom

Aliya dreamed of medical school. But in a Tatar village during the late USSR, dreams are not taken into account. She is married off to Ildar, and the domineering mother-in-law Sabira immediately makes it clear that the daughter-in-law is not a person, but merely a pair of hands. Her husband's illness, daily humiliations, and a ban on education turn the marriage into a prison. After Ildar's death, Aliya returns to her native village with two children, hoping to start anew. But instead of support, she is met with gossip, slander, and the stigma of 'shame.' Other fates unfold nearby: Lizka sacrifices love for status, while the chairman of the collective farm, Anwar, is haunted by memories of the deceased Saniya. A poignant family saga about the late USSR, Tatar traditions, and women's resilience. About how to survive and maintain dignity where it seems you have no right to your own life.