Translated material
Know your place
Watch from October 18 on Moscow screens
“Shadowboxing 2: Revenge” (Russia, 2007, Anton Megerdichev). A continuation of the domestic blockbuster about boxer Artem Kolchin (Denis Nikiforov), who went blind in the first episode, but now sees again - at least his opponent in the ring - quite well and is ready to have a rematch with the American champion. The situation is complicated, however, by the fact that on the eve of the important fight, Artem beat to death a Mexican boxer, who turned out to be the completely inappropriate son of a drug lord. At this time, news appears from a former teacher, and then Kolchin’s sworn enemy, coach Valiev (Andrey Panin), who promises Artem support if he helps him escape from prison. In general, the young athlete will clearly have something to do during the two hours that the film is running. As in the first series, the filmmakers actively use the work of their Hollywood colleagues, without hesitation and, in general, rightfully. Also starring Elena Panova, Ivan Makarevich, Pavel Derevyanko, Mikhail Gorevoy, Anthony Ray Parker and Ernilio Lopez.“Tui's Wedding” (China, 2006, Wang Chuanan). Winner of the Golden Bear at last year's Berlin Film Festival, this socially meditative story about a girl from Inner Mongolia, Tuya, is about to remarry because her previous husband is unable to maintain the household in proper order. Ethnography is married here to realism on the most advantageous terms, and it makes sense to reflect on the fate of a simple Mongolian girl even for those who have never ventured beyond the Garden Ring. Starring Yu Nan, Bater, Senshge and Zhaya.
“Election Day” (Russia, 2007, Oleg Fomin). “Farm Major,” as the creators themselves call it, is a comedy about the peculiarities of modern Russian election campaigns, which is based on the play of the same name, successfully shown on stage by the comic association “Quartet I” with the involvement of different caliber of stars. The team of one of the country's highest-rated radio stations accepts an offer to provide the highest level of support for the election campaign of one of the regional deputies. And now, down the mother Volga, a propaganda steamship sets off on a hopeless voyage, the inhabitants of which hardly understand what is required of them... In fact, it’s funny and relevant, but a completely sacred thrill covers any viewer when he sees Mikhail Olegovich Efremov in full the display of an Orthodox priest (in fact, Efremov’s hero is a swindler, but you somehow don’t think about it while watching), with a beard and a censer at the ready. A heartbreaking - in the best sense of the word - spectacle. Also starring Vasily Utkin, Mikhail Kozyrev, Leonid Barats, Rostislav Khait, Alexander Semchev, Maxim Vitorgan, Alexey Kortnev, Evgeny Steblov and Evgeny Stychkin.
“Love with a Dictionary” (USA, 2007, Zoe Cassavetes). An excellent film from the competition program of the last MIFF from the daughter of the founders of independent cinema John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands (as well as the sisters of Nick and Alexandra Cassavetes, and also the granddaughter of Catherine Cassavetes). Nora (Parker Posey), a thirty-year-old hotel employee with a completely disastrous personal life, nevertheless tries to arrange it. But there is no happiness, and on the way you come across either hardened cynics, who, of course, only want one thing, or mumblers from an even more oppressive breed of “children of parents’ friends.” And then at a completely incomprehensible party, like in a fairy tale, the door creaked - and Julien (Melville Poupaud) appeared. What a sincere and extremely cute movie. Also starring Dria de Matteo, Griffin Dunne, Gena Rowlands and Justin Theroux.
“Persepolis” (France-USA, 2007, Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi). A very strange and necessary work to watch: a black and white (and not three-dimensional, like most of its brothers lately) cartoon based on the comics of Marzhane Satrapi - the story of a Tehran girl from a good family who is forced to experience all the worries of events in the Middle East. East. A completely dissident work, in which, fortunately, there was a place for humor, subtle life observations, and social generalizations that, oddly enough, do not cause either boredom or protest.