POPULAR RUSSIAN CINEMA TODAY BLOCKBUSTERS EPICS CARTOONS AND

POPULAR RUSSIAN CINEMA TODAY BLOCKBUSTERS, EPICS, CARTOONS, AND COMEDIES

Blockbuster: Night Watch (2004) Director Timur Bekmambetov (clipmaker) n Based on a popular fantasy novel (witches, vampires, etc. ; forces of Good and Evil) n Big budget; “clips aesthetics. ” n International distribution, recognition in Hollywood. Two sequels. n A tale about moral choices in corrupted times n

1612 (2007) n n n Director Vladimir Khotinenko, producer Nikita Mikhalkov Genre: historical epic, fantasy and action Set in a time of civil disorder (no legitimate tsar, Polish intervention, the Pretender). Themes: united we win; love, loyalty and betrayal; fatal craving for power as opposed to heroic self-sacrifice. Another controversial instance of patriotic propaganda

FLASH ANIMATION: MASIANIA n n Created by Oleg Kuvaev (b. 1967) in 2001 First appeared in a TV program, then moved to the Internet The character: female, about 25 years old, lives in Saint-Petersburg. Careless, cynical, optimistic. Loves punk-rock (sex, drugs… you got it!) Short humorous (satirical, absurd) episodes connected only by characters: Masiania, her boyfriend Hrundel (Хрюндель) and their pal Shaggy (Лохматый).

Oleg Kuvaev and his wife

Masiania and her boyfriend

MASIANIA IN PERSON

Fun-loving…

Tough…

Not well-organized…

Time to work…

…and time to relax…

…occasionally even in a healthy way

Takes work to pinpoint her!

Masiania - English version

Masiania ’s Saint-Petersburg welcomes tourists

PITER FM (2006) n n n n Director: Oksana Bychkova (her debut) Genre: melodrama, comedy Love story of a boy (architect) and a girl (radio dj) who don’t even meet. The central character – Saint-Petersburg itself. Music, humour, feel-good atmosphere, and (supposedly) happy ending. Piter. FM 1 Piter. FM 2 Piter FM 3

PITER FM (youth, love, music)

“Angry Young Woman” Main topic: coming of age n Documentaries, musical clips, and TV-series (ex. , 69 -episode School) n Harsh and candid films about teenagers, especially girls. n Non-conventional mockdocumentary style. n Everybody Dies But Me (2008; Caméra d'or Award at Cannes Film Festival). Valeria Gai Germanika (b. 1984)

History Revisited: The Admiral (2008, dir. Andrei Kravchuk) n n n Based on real events and memoirs. Love story against the horrors of history. Strong characters; honour as the highest value. Idealized prerevolutionary Russia. Flipping sides: former “villains” (the White Army)

Millennial Comedies The Election Day (2007) Political satire; nonconformist music; situational and verbal comedy Kiss Them All! (2013) Witty comedy, homevideo style. The most profitable box office in Russian film history!

Existential Drama n The Island (2006, dir. Pavel Lungin). Search for one’s self, repentance, Russian Orthodox Christian worldview. n The Major (2013, dir. Yuri Bykov; Nouveau Genre Award at L'Étrange Festival). A drama of tough moral choices in corrupt world; Russian Fargo.

Dark Comedy and Social Drama n Cococo (2012, dir. Avdotia Smirnova): A love-hate friendship between a provincial girl and a museum curator: Russia’s split personality n Elena (2011, dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev; Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival): A tragic parable about the modern society.