Cinema - Russian films

Russian cinema: Drama

Alexander Nevsky (1938)

Sergei M. Eisenstein

In 1242, Russia is under attack on two fronts – on the East by Mongol raiders and on the West by Teutonic knights. Those Russian leaders who try to strike an alliance with the invaders are regarded as traitors, those who resist are slaughtered. After the fall of the city of Pskov, Prince Alexander Nevsky is persuaded to form an army to save his country from the Teutons... [More...]

Battleship Potemkin (1925)

Sergei M. Eisenstein

1905. Throughout Russia, discontent is spreading amongst the working classes. The spirit of revolution is in the air. Aboard a battleship off the coast of Odessa, sailors object to eating the rotten meat they are given. To quell a mutiny, the officers in command of the ship order marines to open fire on a group of the rebellious sailors... [More...]

The End of St. Petersburg (1927)

Vsevolod Pudovkin

A village lad leaves his impoverished home and heads for St Petersburg, hoping to find work in the city. He seeks out another man from his village but is given a cold reception. The man and his wife have barely enough to feed themselves and their children, thanks to the meagre wage the man is paid by Lebedev, the owner of the factory where he works... [More...]

Ivan the Terrible, Part I (1944)

Sergei M. Eisenstein

In 1547, the young archduke Ivan IV is crowned Tsar of Russia. He pledges to build a strong and unified country, by reforming the church and the army, and by recovering lands that have been lost to foreign powers. Ivan’s plans enrage the wealthy court nobles, the boyars, who realise that their influence will now be vastly diminished... [More...]

Ivan the Terrible, Part II (1958)

Sergei M. Eisenstein

On his return to Moscow after his self-imposed exile, Ivan, the first Tsar of Russia, immediately sets about making the reforms he intended to unify and strengthen his country. He quickly perceives the threat posed by the boyars, the court nobles who are determined to bring about his downfall. When he realises that both his mother and his wife were poisoned by the boyars, Ivan takes revenge by executing a number of their kind... [More...]

The Mirror (1975)

Andrey Tarkovskiy

As a middle-aged man lies dying in hospital, he is oblivious to his present surroundings and seeks refuge in his memories, fractured imprints of a life that is rapidly nearing its end. He recalls his mother and his wife, the two people who have had the greatest impact on him. He remembers his childhood, his son, his experiences during the war... [More...]

October (1928)

Sergei M. Eisenstein

February 1917. As one entity, the people of Russia arise to overthrow the Tsarist regime. In its place, a provisional government is set up, headed by the ambitious Alexander Kerenski. But the pace of change is too slow. Ordinary people are still cold and hungry, whilst the rich continue to thrive. Worse, Kerenski sees himself as another Tsar and acts to strengthen his power base... [More...]

Solaris (1972)

Andrey Tarkovskiy

For the past decade, a space station has been orbiting Solaris, an ocean planet in a distant galaxy. The success of the mission is under threat from an outbreak of emotional crises which are preventing the crew from carrying out their research duties. Psychologist Kris Kelvin is sent to the space station to investigate the cause of these traumas and assess whether the project should be abandoned... [More...]

Storm Over Asia (1928)

Vsevolod Pudovkin

Mongolia, 1918. With his father too ill to sell furs at the market, Bair, a young herdsman, must take his place. The only buyers at the market are western traders who pay as little as they can, knowing that the locals are so poor they will sell at any price. Disgusted by what he is offered for his furs, Bair attacks the traders before fleeing into the mountains... [More...]

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