Nostalgia tells the story of a Russian poet and his journey to Italy in the footsteps of an eighteenth-century composer who committed suicide after returning to Russia. As described by the director, the film is about the feelings of being uprooted that are experienced by Russians when they leave their country. Andrei Tarkovsky's work is a constant balancing act on the verge of reality and imagination, captured in perfect visual form. The film won the Palme d'Or for Best Director at the Cannes International Film Festival.