10 most anticipated Russian movies in 2022
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Loading... - benjamin square
- 14 Jan 2022
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The past year marked a real breakthrough for Russian cinema. Kira Kovalenko's 'Unclenching the Fists' (2021) won in the 'Un Certain Regard' category at the Cannes Film Festival and received an award from the European Film Academy. 'Compartment No. 6' (2021), a co-production with Finland, not only won the Grand Prix at Cannes, but has also been nominated for an Oscar. And a truly major event was the flight into space of film director Klim Shipenko with actress Yulia Peresild in the lead role of his movie, 'The Challenge'. The movie, a large part of which was filmed on the real space expedition, is only scheduled for release in 2023. Still, the coming year promises many high-profile premieres. Russia Beyond has selected six of the most intriguing major movies, as well as four festival hits that audiences around the world will finally be able to see.
1. 'Woland', director Mikhail Lockshin
Mikhail Lockshin/Mars Media, Amedia Production, Profit, 2022
The second work by Mikhail Lockshin and screenwriter Roman Kantor is based on Mikhail Bulgakov's cult novel, 'The Master and Margarita'. Their debut movie, 'Silver Skates' (2020), was released on Netflix Originals in 2021 and reached the Netflix Top 10 list.
The novel arcanely intertwines the stories of Roman procurator Pontius Pilate, Moscow poet Ivan Bezdomny, a "naughty apartment" in Moscow and the mysterious stranger, Professor Woland, who turns out to be more powerful than Goethe's Faust.
German actor August Diehl from Terrence Malick's 'A Hidden Life' (2019), stars as Woland and the most beautiful couple in the Russian film industry, Evgeny Tsyganov and Yuliya Snigir, best known for her role in 'The New Pope' (2019-2020) with Jude Law, play the Master and Margarita, respectively.
2. 'December', director Klim Shipenko
Klim Shipenko/Yellow, Black and White, 2022
Just a few days before becoming the world's first filmmaker to go into space, Klim Shipenko managed to complete a thriller about the last days in the life of famous poet Sergei Yesenin and his relationship with dancer Isadora Duncan.
The movie features a snow-covered St. Petersburg, the somber atmosphere of the turbulent 1920s in Soviet Russia, conspiracy theories, imperishable manuscripts that don't burn and fair-haired Alexander Petrov - star of the 'Sparta' (2018) TV series and Fyodor Bondarchuk's 'Attraction' (2017) (both available on Netflix), as well as Luc Besson's 'Anna' (2019) - in the role of the most tragic poet to have rhapsodized about the soil of Russia.
3. 'Nuremberg', director Nikolai Lebedev
Nikolai Lebedev/Cinema Production, 2022
This is the world's first feature movie to tell the detailed story of the trial of the of the 20th century at which the former leaders of Nazi Germany appeared before the International Military Tribunal.
Direction is by Nikolai Lebedev, one of Russia's most sought-after movie directors, who made 'Legend No. 17' (2013) and 'Flight Crew' (2016) (both available on Netflix). According to Lebedev, the movie will not just be a chronicle of the momentous trials, but also a story of true love.
4. 'The First Oscar', director Sergey Mokritsky
Sergey Mokritsky/Central Partnership, Novye Lyudi, 2022
Another historical drama inspired by real events, it tells the story of the front line cameramen of World War II. They filmed on the battlefield at the beginning of the war and, in 1943, were awarded the first ever Oscar for best documentary feature - 'Moscow Strikes Back' (1942).
In the lead role is Tikhon Zhiznevskiy, the eponymous major in 'Major Grom: Plague Doctor' (2021), an action thriller based on the comic book series of the same name, which has had a successful release on Netflix. Read More…
