The Leper

The Leper (1928) is a silent Soviet drama directed by Oleg Frelikh, available to watch online on iFILM. Newly married to Said Vali, a wealthy merchant, young Tilla Oi tries to delight her husband by dressing in European fashion.

The choice ruins her. His respect vanishes overnight, and what follows is a slow, brutal fall with no way back. Made in Soviet Central Asia at the close of the 1920s, the film belongs to a rare wave of cinema that confronted the powerlessness of women behind the veil. Ra Messerer and Andrei Fait head the cast. It plays out lean and unsparing, refusing any comforting ending. Stream The Leper online on iFILM.