I saw Kolya at the cinema during the film festival here in 1997, and recently rented the video so the rest of my family could see it. The ending may be rather predictable, but the characterization is just magic. Best scenes: Kolya's funeral for the puppet, and the lump-in-the-throat moment when Kolya tries to call his babushka in the bathtub. Give that kid another acting job! A beautiful film. Even if you don't generally watch subtitled films, this one's worth it. My family and I all agree--this is a 10/10 film. They don't come any better.