Matthew Passion 2023

Matthew is a young man with a clear vocation in mind: he dreams of becoming a good priest and follows in his father’s footsteps, serving diligently as an altar server while he figures out the path ahead. His world is steeped in tradition and routine, from the quiet rituals of the church to the expectations of his family. His father presses him toward marriage as a prerequisite for ordination, a step Matthew isn’t ready to take, especially since his girlfriend Liza refuses to become a “matushka” (the wife of a priest). In his search for a partnership that could fit both love and faith, Matthew even tries an Orthodox dating service, hoping for a sensible, compatible match. The process is slow and fraught with misfires, and the pressure to conform intensifies as time moves on.

One day, Matthew meets Agatha, a daring and spontaneous artist hired to paint icons in the church, Julija Chebakova, who has little connection to the church or its teachings. Despite their starkly different worlds—his devout routine and her free-spirited, independent outlook—the two form a surprising and unexpectedly deep bond. Their growing connection challenges Matthew’s sense of duty and the rigid expectations placed upon him, even as Agatha’s own life and outlook begin to soften in response to his sincerity.

Their relationship is tested by external pressures, notably Agatha’s controlling boyfriend, Anar, whose presence casts a shadow over their budding love. At Agatha’s birthday party, Matthew makes a public stand against the mistreatment she endures, a moment that marks a turning point in his own arc and in their relationship. Agatha responds with a bold act of rebellion—dying her hair green—an outward symbol of breaking free from the confines of expectations and rules that once seemed absolute. In an attempt to fit his father’s vision of propriety, Matthew asks Agatha to pose as his fiancée, but the plan quickly spirals out of control, culminating in Agatha’s dismissal from the church and the fragile trust between them.

When Matthew learns that Agatha is under pressure to consider an abortion, he is torn, balancing his love for her with the tenets of his faith. In a decisive and emotional moment, he hurry-rushes to the hospital to convey his love and to affirm his belief in the sanctity of their unborn child. The scene is intimate and powerful, though Agatha cannot hear his words, she sees the depth of his devotion in his gestures and commitment. The couple’s story does not end there, as life moves forward in quiet, stubborn ways.

About a year later, Matthew remains in his role as an altar server, but his connection to Agatha persists in another form. In a church setting, she appears at a distance with her newborn, a visible testament to the child they brought into the world together. The moment is subtle but potent—a silent, enduring link that keeps their bond alive even as their lives diverge and the church’s expectations continue to press on. The film leaves us with a sense that love, faith, and chosen family can coexist in tension, shaping a person’s path in ways neither fully controls nor fully foresees.