Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a sudden wave of Western cultural influences and individual freedoms flooded Russia. The 1990s saw a boom in self-expression, allowing the St. Petersburg naturist community to come out of the shadows, form official clubs, and organize open events.

Based on our investigation, we found that:

St. Petersburg has a long, albeit often underground, history with naturism, particularly centered around its Baltic Sea coastlines. By 2003, when this film was released, Russia was in a period of significant cultural transition, allowing for more open explorations of subcultures that were previously suppressed or marginalized. Baltic Sun at St Petersburg (Short 2003) - IMDb

St. Petersburg, Russia (specifically the Gulf of Finland coastal regions) Core Narrative and Themes