| Director | Martha Fiennes |
|---|---|
| Genre | drama film, film based on a novel, romance film |
| Runtime | 106 min |
| Country | United Kingdom, United States |
| Budget | $14 million |
| Box office | $2.4 million |
In early 19th century Russia, a bored St. Petersburg socialite named Onegin inherits his uncle's estate in the country. There, he meets a neighbouring landowner and aspiring poet, Lensky, and a widowed mother and her two daughters. The poet is engaged to the elder daughter Olga. Her sister, Tatiana (Tanya), writes Onegin a passionate love letter but he turns her down because of her youth and inexperience. He instead dances with her sister, which the jealous Lensky interprets as flirtation, and challenges his friend to a duel. The duel is arranged to take place in a secluded place by a local lake, and unknown to the participants, Tatiana secretly witnesses the duel from a safe distance. She observes Lensky taking the first shot and missing, followed by Onegin taking careful aim and disposing of Lensky with a shot to his opponent's head.
Onegin departs from his country estate. Six years later, he returns to St. Petersburg, and encounters Tanya, the woman he spurned, who is now a woman of refinement and married to his cousin Prince Nikitin. Onegin immediately sees Tanya as desirable, and falls in love with her. He begs her forgiveness for his past behaviour. Tanya refuses Onegin, explaining to him that he has missed his chance with her; she will be faithful to her husband. He receives her rejection with despair.