Konstantyn Illych

Konstantyn Illych appears in “Letter of Apology,” “Miss USSR,” “Lucky Toss,” and “Homecoming.” Illych is a renowned poet in Ukraine, and he attempts to maintain an appearance of Soviet loyalty in his work. However, it seems that he may actually harbor anti-Soviet beliefs. When he makes a private joke about members of the Soviet government, the KGB attempts to coerce him into singing a letter of apology. Illych refuses to sign, knowing that his popularity will protect his from government threats. A few years later, his wife leaves him, and his popularity begins to decline. He fosters an orphaned teenage girl named Zaya and prepares her to compete in the Miss USSR beauty pageant, with the goal of winning it for Ukraine. Zaya eventually flees. After the Soviet Union collapses, Illych makes a living by charging admission to see a relic appears to be a mummified saint...