The film is set in the post-Stalinist Soviet Union . A young Soviet woman , Katya , lost her parents during the Stalinist repressions . Though she pretends to be a communist , she hates the regime and spies for the Americans . Her friend Misha , who is a spy , also helps her obtain important information for the Americans . As part of her next assignment , she meets the young and good-looking Sasha , who belongs to the Kremlin elite . In order to spy on him , Katya ends up marrying Sasha but not everything is going to the plan . Katya soon falls in love with Sasha , and plans to defect to the United States with him . However , just before her trip to the US , Katya mysteriously vanishes . Sasha stays in America alone , and over the course of 30 years becomes a successful businessman in America . Many years afterwards , he visits a post-communist Russia seeking to solve Katya 's disappearance . He and his niece Lauren work together , searching for clues . They meet Misha , who has become an old alcoholic ; he tells them what really happened to Katya
Stalinist repressions
Great Purge
Despite the Falling Snow (film)