Sometimes the best things come in small packages. So is true in director Viktoriia Lapushkina’s micro short Pickup. Running just 3 minutes long, Pickup is a Russian dark comedy about gaining romantic attention through unexpected circumstances.

Testing the Formula for Love

The film begins in the middle of a lecture on femininity and attaining the male gaze. The speaker is a beautiful woman, confident and alluring. She makes direct contact with Di (Elizaveta Ishchenko), a shy girl who seems out of place in the hyper-sexualized environment. The professor continues with her lecture, reminding the women that they need to present themselves in a certain way if they want to attract a man. Some pointers include having good posture and flashing a “Mona Lisa smile” (also known as a sly grin with no teeth).

Putting these theories into practice, the women are given individual tasks; Di’s assignment is to get a man to buy her a coffee. Sounds simple enough. However, during her attempt to complete this goal, she ends up on a rooftop where she finds a suicidal man about to jump. Unfazed, she blatantly asks him to buy her a coffee. He seems stunned. Doesn’t she see that he is in the middle of ending his life? What follows is a twist that turns this otherwise awkward encounter into a hilarious ending.

Capturing a Soviet-Style Love Story

This indie short explores an interesting rising trend in Russia: courses that promise fast love. However, as seen in Pickup, many of these programs rely on psychological manipulation by exploiting people’s fears and insecurities. What could have been a more melancholic outlook is instead seen through a humorous lens. Filmmaker Viktoriia Lapushkina approaches this subject through satire rather than moral judgment. Her dedication to capturing the Soviet aesthetic brings another layer of authenticity to the film. By shooting with vintage Soviet lenses and using an old Soviet factory as the main location, we are transported into Lapushkina’s carefully-crafted universe. Furthering the film’s commanding presence is the performance by Elizaveta Ishchenko. Her charisma is transfixing, and her comedic timing is spot on.

Director’s Statement

“Pickup began as a small comedic idea inspired by today’s constant informational noise. It quickly grew into a script that turned out to be more personal than I initially expected. That’s why it resonated so much with my team, cast, and, hopefully, the audience. Through this work, I want to convey a sense of loneliness and the fear of being an outsider – the feeling that you are the only one who can’t make it work. Pickup shows how endless instructions on what to do and say to be loved pull us away from what people actually fall for: ourselves.”

Takeaway

This bite-sized dark comedy is the total package and has the makings of an excellent feature-length film. Pickup will have its World Premiere at the 2026 Slamdance Film Festival.