An unflinching look at the inhabitants of the deteriorated haunts of the former Soviet Union, Lukas Moodyson's Lilya 4-Ever provocatively captures the naïve hopes of a girl who is struggling to survive a harsh world. Young Lilya (Oksana Akinshina) goes on a series of misadventures filled with betrayal, glue sniffing, rape, poverty, prostitution, and death after being forced into a tragic existence when her mother abandons her and leaves for the United States. While prostituting at a nightclub, Lilya meets a man who promises her a new life in Sweden, which ultimately proves to be an even worse situation than her previous one. Courageous and inventive through its brilliant cinematography that evokes the hopelessness of its characters, Lilya 4-Ever is packed with unforgettable imagery and ultra-realistic performances from a stellar young cast. A remarkably authentic portrait of post-Cold War Eastern Europe, the film was nominated for Best Actress and Best Film at the 2002 European Film Awards.