Nice review, Charles, and from an interesting angle. I would only add that in Russian, "mat" expletives are considerably stronger and more loaded than those in English. If you were to trip in the street in Seattle and mutter a "fuck" or "shit" few would lift an eyebrow. In Russia, where these aspects of language still have some power, you would attract considerably more attention.
Funny that the Russians think the film's received an Oscar nomination because Americans are anti-Russian. Each country is allowed to submit only ONE film for consideration for an Oscar. It was the Russian equivalent of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences that chose "Leviathan." If they were concerned about Russians being perceived as alcoholics, they could have selected a different film. (Though a cynic might argue that the Russian AMPAS-equivalent chose "Leviathan" specifically because of how Hollywood would take it, rather than other films the Russians thought were better.)