USSR

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The overtly propagandistic, anti-religious plot of The Flower on the Stone (Tsvetok na kamne, Dovzhenko Film Studio 1960–1962) does not look like promising Parajanov material: when a new Komsomol mine and mining community is established in the Donbas region, a member of a Pentecostal cult sends his daughter Christina to recruit new believers. Arsen Zagorny, an upstanding Komsomol member and a talented violinist, falls in love with Christina and crosses paths with Zabroda, the leader of the local cell of the cult. Additional problems crop up in the form of Grigori Griva a local boy prone to hooliganism and drink and his buddy Chmykh, a dissolute accordion player. Grigori learns to mend his ways thanks to the guidance of Pavel Fedorovich Varchenko, the wise and patient director of the mine, and Liuda, the Komsomol organizer with whom he falls in love. The film’s title refers to fossilized plants visible on pieces of coal.Read More »

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The Heron and the Crane tells the story of two would-be lovers, Heron and Crane, whose pride and self-importance continually prevent them from accepting each other’s proposals of marriage, despite their desire for each other.Read More »

An American TV-journalist is interested in the trail of some strange mystery embedded in a mountainous region of the USA. After much red tape, he is allowed to enter the area. A sullen guide convoys him through several farms inhabited by even more sullen and withdrawn people. The journalist cannot help minding their weird behaviour, and especially that of one kid who also seems to be a math whiz. With some effort, he discovers an explanation to the mystery and convinces his guide to help him reveal it to the rest of the world.Read More »

Following Romm’s untimely death during the making of …And Still I Believe, his former students Khutsiev and Klimov completed this remarkable film montage, a personal journey across 20th-century history and the clash of civilizations told, in part, through Romm’s own diary entries and gripping historical footage.Read More »

The film features life of Soviet country in the 20-s. The story is focused on the character of a major party leader. The film was inspired by life and activities of Bolshevik leader Sergei Kirov (1886 — 1934).Read More »

Following three lifelong friends who return to Moscow after military service, we see their aspirations juxtaposed against everyday life in 1960 Soviet Union.Read More »

A riotous late-Soviet-era animated musical about the agonies of modern family life in the 20th century, taking place on New Year’s Eve. A postcard that gets put into the wrong mailbox, and a misunderstood lipstick mark, cause a married couple to trade accusations of infidelity that threaten to derail their holiday.Read More »

Summaries
Alexander, Boris and Vasily are three old friends, who now rarely see each other as they are busy with their professional life. They embark on long-planned voyage on a raft down the Volga river, which turns into a series of comical accidents but also strengthens their friendship.Read More »

As she works in her tedious office job, Maria Ivanovna dreams about being married, and she has particular hopes that her co-worker Nikodim Mityushin will take an interest in her. Nikodim, though, is in love with Zina, who sells cigarettes on the sidewalk, and he frequently buys cigarettes from her even though he does not smoke. One day, a film crew uses Zina as an extra in an outdoor scene, and the cameraman, Latugin, falls in love with her. Latugin soon arranges an acting job for Zina. To complicate matters further, Zina has yet another admirer in Oliver MacBride, an American businessman who is visiting Moscow.Read More »