Forgotten Soviet film masterpieces: 10 best films shot at the Belarusfilm studio

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The history of the film studio "Belarusfilm" dates back to 1924, when it was decided to organize its own film production in the republic. In Soviet times, newsreels, cartoons and documentaries were filmed here. And, of course, it is impossible not to recall the artistic films filmed at the renowned film studio. Unfortunately, some of them today have been undeservedly forgotten.

“Bear, 1938, director Isidor Annensky

The director with great pleasure filmed the works of Anton Chekhov. "The Bear" with Olga Androvskaya and Mikhail Zharov in the lead roles became the director's debut and was awarded with applause from those who personally knew the writer, as well as the actors and founders of the renowned Moscow Art Theater. It is worth noting that the shooting was carried out back in the distant time when the studio "Soviet Belarus" was located in Leningrad. She moved to Minsk only a year after the release of Annensky's film on the screens.

"City of Masters", 1965, director Vladimir Bychkov

The film based on the play by Tamara Gabbe was one of the favorite movie fairy tales of Soviet children. However, children's films were rightfully considered the greatest achievement of the Belarusian film studio. "The City of Masters" with Marianna Vertinskaya, Savely Kramarov and Georgy Lapeto remains one of the real masterpieces of cinema today.

"I come from childhood", 1966, director Viktor Turov

It was this picture, according to the results of a poll conducted by Belarusian film critics, that was named the best in the entire glorious history of Belarusian cinema. The script by Gennady Shpalikov, the absolutely amazing performance of Vladimir Vysotsky and Nina Urgant made the film filled with special poetics and tenderness, despite the rather complex drama.

"Dagger", 1973, director Nikolay Kalinin

It is difficult to find a person whose childhood was in the 1970s and 1980s, who did not see this television film and its sequel, The Bronze Bird. At the same time, both Misha, who is very correct in all respects, and his friend Genka, who is not at all an example of exemplary behavior, aroused sympathy among the audience in equal measure.

"The Adventures of Buratino", 1975, director Leonid Nechaev

This fairy tale, along with the film "About Little Red Riding Hood", can be called one of the most popular films shot at "Belarusfilm". In this film, together with professional actors Vladimir Etush, Vladimir Basov, Nikolai Grinko, Rolan Bykov, Rina Zelena and Elena Sanaeva, small stars were shot, playing Buratino and Malvina, Piero and Artemon.

"The Wild Hunt of King Stakh", 1979, director Valery Rubinchik

The Soviet mystical thriller was based on the story of the same name by Vladimir Korotkevich and won many awards. But even before it was shown at numerous festivals, Soviet audiences fell in love with the film. The gothic atmosphere and gloom of the picture were very atypical for Soviet cinema, but the masterful directorial and acting work (Boris Khmelnitsky, Boris Plotnikov and Albert Filozov starred in the film) allowed the film to become one of the best examples of Soviet cinema.

"State Border", 1980-1988, directors Boris Stepanov, Vyacheslav Nikiforov, Oleg Smirnov

During the airing of the first episodes of the television series, the streets of the cities became almost deserted, because everyone rushed to the “blue screens” to watch the “State Border”. True, the last episodes were not as triumphant as the first, but this in no way diminishes the merits of the series, especially since Alexander Denisov and Igor Starygin, Yuri Kayurov and Mikhail Kozakov, Aristarkh Livanov, Archil Gomiashvili and other bright actors played in it.

"White Dew", 1983, director Igor Dobrolyubov

The film, which starred Nikolai Karachentsov, Boris Novikov, Stanislav Sadalsky, Mikhail Kokshenov, Vsevolod Sanayev and Galina Polskikh, along with other wonderful actors, held the palm among the highest grossing Belarusian films for five years and was recognized as the best comedy of 1983.

"Come and See", 1985, directed by Elem Klimov

Not everyone will be able to watch a very tough film about the Great Patriotic War. A teenager's look at the horrors and hardships of war makes the viewer physically feel the pain, fear and despair of people whose fates were broken and destroyed by the war. And those whose lives she ruthlessly claimed.

"My name is Arlecchino", 1988, director Valery Rybarev

This film about perestroika times and teenage subcultures was able to break the record of "White Grows" at the box office, it was watched by almost 42 million viewers. The film is quite rough and rough, but at the same time very believable and atmospheric.

Even more stunning films were filmed during the Soviet era at the Mosfilm studio, many of which viewers watch over and over again. Let's remember the amazing films created at the Mosfilm studio that were undeservedly forgotten.