, an acronym for Daily Active Users , is a metric used primarily in the context of online platforms, applications, and websites. It measures the number of unique users who engage with a platform on a given day. DAU is a key performance indicator (KPI) for companies, especially those in the tech and social media sectors, as it reflects the platform's stickiness and overall user engagement.
Meet Katya and Tanya, two metrics enthusiasts who live and breathe data. They're here to dish out the dirt on Daily Active Users (DAU), the ultimate metric for measuring user engagement.
is an experimental, period-drama feature film co-directed by Ilya Khrzhanovskiy and Jekaterina Oertel that serves as one of the most unique installments in the massive, highly controversial DAU cinematic universe. Unlike other entries in the project that focus on psychological torture, state-sanctioned violence, or the mechanics of Soviet totalitarianism, DAU. Katya Tanya turns inward to examine female subjectivity, intimacy, and the crushing of individual ideals under an oppressive regime. Centered on a rare portrayal of a lesbian relationship in Soviet-era cinema, the film presents a deeply atmospheric and challenging exploration of human connection carved out of an bleak social landscape. The Genesis of DAU and the Microcosm of the Institute
Watch it with company. Have a blanket ready. And remember: The scariest thing in the film is not the rage. It is the love. Because no matter how many times Katya spits in Tanya’s face, Tanya never leaves. And that, perhaps, is the true horror of the human condition.
More context on the who played Katya and Tanya? DAU. Katya Tanya
The full cast consists of non-professional actors performing in an improvisational style:
Critics have rightly questioned the production. Actress Ekaterina Gulyanich has since stated that while she consented to the scene’s framework, the emotional toll was extreme. The film blurs the line between the fictional power dynamic (Tanya dominating Katya) and the real-world power dynamic (the director’s omnipotence over his performers).
Gritty, observational, psychologically intense. Use close third-person sections alternating between Katya’s sensory-rich, reflective voice and Tanya’s terse, controlled perspective to highlight contrast.
But as an ethical object, it is a minefield. Does the film critique the male gaze, or does it merely provide a new genre of female degradation for that gaze to consume? When the female director, Jekaterina Oertel, co-signs this vision, does that justify it? , an acronym for Daily Active Users ,
Like all entries in the DAU cinematic universe, DAU. Katya Tanya was constructed under unprecedented, radical production parameters: Forms of Female Subjectivity in “DAU. Katya Tanya”
Forms of female subjectivity in 'DAU. Katya Tanya' - ResearchGate
DAU. Katya Tanya stands out within the largely male-dominated focus of the broader DAU narrative. The film has been described as an attempt by the filmmakers to normalize the cinematic representation of lesbian relationships within a rigid, historical context.
This is the dangerous genius of the DAU method. functions as a case study in codependency . Tanya enables Katya not out of malice, but out of a Soviet-bred survival instinct: You do not solve problems. You endure them. You clean the mess. You wait for death. Meet Katya and Tanya, two metrics enthusiasts who
The DAU project has been accused of exploitation. It is rumored that during the filming of boundary violations occurred that would shut down a Western production. Whether you believe the art justifies the means or rejects the project entirely, the film remains an unshakeable artifact.
(played by Radmila Shegoleva) is one of the central figures of the DAU universe. She represents the archetype of the "Soviet Muse"—beautiful, devoted, and ultimately destroyed by the environment she inhabits.
DAU. Katya Tanya is a crucial piece of the larger DAU puzzle, offering a rare, intimate look at personal relationships within a totalitarian-like, fabricated reality. By centering on the lives of its two female protagonists, the film delves into themes of love, vulnerability, and resilience, providing a unique contribution to contemporary queer and Russian women's cinema.
You will not enjoy That is the wrong verb. You will survive it.
Ultimately, Katya finds the tenderness, safety, and mutual understanding she craves in the arms of Tanya (), a journalist and literary editor for the Institute News . The film evolves into a rare cinematic portrait of a lesbian relationship unfolding in a highly restrictive Soviet era. The narrative transitions from a depiction of passionate, domestic happiness into mundane depression, culminating in a tragic finale that underscores the danger of pursuing LGBT+ relationships in a society designed for hyper-conformity. The DAU Context: A Cinematic Experiment Like No Other Forms of Female Subjectivity in “DAU. Katya Tanya”