Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Biographical romantic film

Leto (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Leto (2019) movie poster

Leto is a 2019 biographical romantic film directed by Kirill Serebrennikov, starring Irina Starshenbaum as Natasha, Roman Bilyk and Teo Yoo. It runs 2 hours 6 minutes and earned $3.1 million worldwide on a $150,000 budget. Critics gave it 78% on Rotten Tomatoes and 69 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.

IMDb rating
7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes
78%
worldwide gross
$3.1M
Echo Score
70
Loading streaming availability…
Leto (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 6m (126 min)
Genres
Biography , Romance , Music
Original language
Russian
Budget
$150K
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Leto About?

The premise of Leto without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

During the 1980s in Leningrad, a burgeoning cultural movement challenges the status quo. This film follows Mike and Natasha as they navigate a world of underground music, discovering the subversive power of rock and roll alongside Viktor Tsoï and his band. They risk everything to share forbidden music, smuggling records by artists like Lou Reed and David Bowie during the tense pre-Perestroika era, and experiencing the transformative power of artistic expression.

Leto Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • skinny dipping
  • male full frontal nudity
  • musician
  • love triangle
  • rock music
  • concert
  • infatuation
  • nudity
  • medical examination
  • leningrad soviet union
  • singing and playing guitar
  • campfire
+38 more
  • song
  • kiss
  • rooftop
  • rooftop view
  • recording
  • song recording
  • friendship
  • mentor
  • rock club
  • breaking the fourth wall
  • pubic hair
  • male pubic hair
  • female rear nudity
  • 1980s
  • perestroika
  • one word title
  • rock band
  • husband wife relationship
  • fame
  • censorship
  • rock star
  • fictionalized account
  • beach
  • smoking
  • alcohol
  • train
  • toilet
  • singer
  • black and white and color
  • female wears a swimsuit
  • female topless nudity
  • trolley
  • telephone booth
  • baby
  • communal apartment
  • house concert
  • soviet union
  • rock concert
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

Leto Cast & Characters

Irina Starshenbaum leads the cast as Natasha, with Roman Bilyk as Mike and Teo Yoo as Viktor. Directed by Kirill Serebrennikov; 13 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Kirill Serebrennikov

More films directed by Kirill Serebrennikov, best-rated first: Petrov's Flu, Limonov: The Ballad, The Student and The Disappearance of Josef Mengele.

Full filmography
Ratings

Leto Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Leto 78% on Rotten Tomatoes and 69 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10. Our Echo Score gives it 70/100, strongest in art & craft (80) and weakest in rewatch factor (60).

70 /100

Leto Echo Score Breakdown

Overall, Leto presents a visually striking yet narratively uneven exploration of the early-’80s Leningrad rock scene. The film excels in its art and sensory elements, with radiant black-and-white compositions and a pulsating soundtrack driving much of its appeal. Character interactions offer earnest charisma, though the emotional stakes sometimes lack depth amid meandering pacing. Story originality provides transportive moments even as loose plotting leads to occasional forgettable stretches. Net impression: a captivating audiovisual experience tempered by uneven narrative flow.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 80

    In terms of art direction and cinematography, Leto displays a strong visual identity. The film's black-and-white imagery and carefully composed framing create a radiant, gritty atmosphere. Production design authentically evokes a modest Soviet rock scene, while editing crafts seamless set pieces. Overall, the art elements are a consistent highlight that anchor the film's style.

  • Character & Emotion 75

    When it comes to character depth and emotional resonance, Leto offers earnest performances that convey the camaraderie of its trio. The actors imbue their roles with charisma, capturing moments of vulnerability and creative tension. However, the emotional stakes occasionally feel muted by the film’s measured pacing. Ultimately, the characters leave a lingering, if subdued, impact.

  • Story & Flow 60

    In terms of story and flow, Leto delivers a transportive glimpse into the Soviet rock scene but struggles with narrative cohesion. The pacing often shifts between engaging sequences and meandering downtime, which sometimes blunts dramatic momentum. While the film’s originality in blending historical detail with lyrical vignettes is clear, the loose structure leads to uneven engagement.

  • Sensory Experience 75

    When it comes to sensory experience, Leto’s soundtrack and visual style form its primary allure. The rock-driven score punctuates key scenes with authentic energy, while the grainy black-and-white palette enhances the film’s gritty mood. Sound design remains balanced, supporting the musical focus without distraction. Overall, the sensory elements effectively immerse the audience in this bygone era.

  • Rewatch Factor 60

    When it comes to rewatch factor, Leto offers memorable moments but limited replay appeal. The striking visuals and strong musical set pieces invite a second viewing, yet the film’s loose narrative and intermittent pacing counterbalance this. While certain scenes grow in resonance on repeat viewings, the overall uneven flow may deter some viewers from multiple replays.

Plot

Leto Plot Summary

What happens in Leto from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Set in the humid summer of 1981 in Leningrad, the film follows Viktor Teo Yoo, a 19-year-old with a quiet, almost otherworldly magnetism; Mike Naumenko [Roman Bilyk], a seasoned frontman; and Natalia Irina Starshenbaum, Mike’s girlfriend, as they navigate the city’s burgeoning rock scene, the formation of the Leningrad Rock Club, and Kino’s first album, 45.

One of the few state-permitted venues for rock music, the Leningrad Rock Club serves as a theater for boundary-pushing art, where audiences are instructed to sit politely and listen rather than moshing. Yet the club’s atmosphere is reframed by the narrator Skeptic Aleksandr Kuznetsov, whose interjections cast it as extravagant, hedonistic, reckless, and dangerous, adding a charged tension to each performance.

Full summary

The whole story of Leto, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Leto Box Office & Budget

Leto grossed $3.1 million worldwide on a $150,000 budget, 20 times what it cost.

2019 box office

Worldwide gross

$3.1M

20× its budget

International
$3.1M
Budget
$150K
Videos

Leto Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Leto.

LETO | Official Trailer HD
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Leto?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

In what year is the movie Leto set?

Cars

Cars in Leto

14 cars on screen, including the 1978 IZh Moskvitch 412 IE and the 1974 Moskvitch 427 IE.

All 14 cars
  • 1978 IZh Moskvitch 412 IE in Leto 1978 IZh Moskvitch 412 IE Minor role
  • 1974 Moskvitch 427 IE in Leto 1974 Moskvitch 427 IE Minor role
  • 1971 VAZ 2101 Zhiguli in Leto 1971 VAZ 2101 Zhiguli Minor role
  • ZiU 682 in Leto ZiU 682 Minor role
Details

Leto Also Known As

24 alternative titles, including “L'été” and “Summer”.

Also known as
  • L'été
  • Summer
  • Lato
  • 레토
  • Summer (Leto), leto
  • LETO レト
  • Ամառ
  • Amar
  • Літо
  • Leto - Rock
  • Love & Perestroika
  • Yaz
+12 more
  • Verão
  • Kesä
  • Лято
  • קיץ - ליטו
  • Sommer
  • 盛夏
  • Nyár
  • Vasara
  • LETO -レト-
  • Léto
  • 夏LETO
  • ฤดูร็อค

Seen Leto?

FAQ

Leto FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Leto, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Leto?

Leto runs 2 hours 6 minutes (126 minutes).

When was Leto released?

Leto was released on June 7, 2019.

Who directed Leto?

Leto was directed by Kirill Serebrennikov.

More films by Kirill Serebrennikov

Who is in the cast of Leto?

Leto stars Irina Starshenbaum as Natasha, Roman Bilyk as Mike and Teo Yoo as Viktor, among 13 credited actors.

How much did Leto make at the box office?

Leto grossed $3.1 million worldwide on a budget of $150,000.

How is Leto rated?

Leto has 7.3/10 on IMDb, 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, 69 on Metacritic and 74% on TMDB.

Does Leto have a post-credit scene?

No. Leto has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Leto in?

The original language of Leto is Russian.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app