The Return (Хайтарма / Qaytarma) is a 2013 Crimean-Tatar (not to be confused with simply Tatar!) dramatic film. It was produced in Ukraine and is in both Russian and Crimean Tatar languages. The film tells the story of the events of May 1944, when over the course of a few days Stalin had the Crimean Tatars […]

I’m Ivan, You’re Abraham (Я — Іван, ты — Абрам) is a 1993 French–Belarusian film. It is in Belarusian, Polish, and Yiddish. The film was Belarus’s 1994 submission to the Academy Awards for consideration for Best Foreign Language Film (and one of only two films independent Belarus has ever submitted). The film takes place in […]

Viking (Викинг) is a 2016 Russian historical action film. Directed by Andrey Kravchuk (Андрей Кравчук), the film is loosely based on the Primary Chronicle, the earliest known written history of Rus’, and the Icelandic King’s Sagas. It has been dubbed “Russia’s Game of Thrones” by Screen International for its dark cinematography and its medieval storyline […]

Earthquake (Землетрясение) is a 2016 historical drama by Russian–Armenian director Sarik Andreasyan (Сарик Андреасян). The film depicts the massive earthquake, and its aftermath, that shook Armenia on December 7, 1988. Starring Konstantin Lavronenko (Константин Лавроненко), Mariya Mironova (Мария Миронова), Viktor Stepanyan (Виктор Степанян), and Tatev Ovakimyan (Татев Овакимян), the film has seen a lot of […]

Hedgehog in the Fog (Ёжик в тумане) is a 1975 Soviet short animated film. It’s rather dark and philosophical, and not exactly meant for children; but even if you can’t understand every word, it’s beautiful and fascinating enough to be worth a watch. The film was directed by Yuriy Norshtein (Юрий Норштейн), a very well-known […]

28 Panfilovtsev (28 панфиловцев) is a 2016 war drama directed by Kim Duzhinin (Ким Дружинин) and Andrey Shalopa (Андрей Шалопа). The initial money for the film came entirely from crowdfunding, from which the directors raised more than 34 million rubles, making it one of the most successful crowdfunded film projects to date. Recently, 28 Panfilovtsev has also received […]

The Duelist (Дуэлянт) is a 2016 Russian adventure drama written and directed by indie filmmaker Aleksey Mizgirev (Алексей Мизгирев). Starring Pyotr Fyodorov (Пётр Фёдоров), Vladimir Mashkov (Владимир Машков), and Sergeу Garmash (Сергей Гармаш), the film is the third Russian film released in IMAX. The film is set in Saint Petersburg in 1860. The retired officer Yakovlev […]

Taras Bulba (Тарас Бульба) is a 2009 Russian historical drama based on the Gogol story of the same name. The story, first published in the 1830s, is about a Zaporozhian Cossack (a Ukrainian self-governing military tribe) colonel, Taras Bulba—loosely based on some historical figures—and his sons, who join the war against Poland. Much of the […]

Winnie-the-Pooh (Винни Пух in Russian) is a Soviet/Russian animated “children’s” series, and the Russian version of the all-time American classic (well, sort of). The Russian version, although also based on the book series, is different in almost every way—from the unusual animation to the sometimes dark subject matter and Pooh’s exceptional air of melancholy. Technically, […]