The figures of Russian cinema have worked (and continue to work) particularly hard in Belarus. Let’s remember what popular films were shot in Belarus, and what Russian directors most often come to Minsk for “kindness”.
Where Tortila swam
Russian filmmakers chose the Belarusian capital in the 1970s.The most famous film of that time, partially shot in the capital of the BSSR, is, of course, “The Adventures of Pinocchio” directed by Leonid Nechaev. Nechaev is a Muscovite who worked for Belarusfilm for many years. In Minsk, the film crew did not only all the pavilion filming, but also part of the outdoor filming. So, for example, the Tortila turtle performed by Rina Zelena swam in the lake at the natural site of “Belarusfilm” near Smolevichi. They also filmed his encounter with Pinocchio. By the way, the bridge, built for filming, still works and often flashes as part of many modern films.Director Igor Dobrolyubov, born in Novosibirsk, linked his cinematic life with Minsk. In his film “Secret to the Whole World”, shot in 1976 based on “Deniskin’s Tales” by Viktor Dragunsky, the main character Denis Korablev is met by the public in the most popular places of the Belarusian capital: Independence Avenue (which was then called Leninsky), Vera Khoruzhey Street in the district of today’s Komarovka and, of course, on the rides in the capital’s Chelyuskintsev Park.
One can imagine what Minsk was like in the 1990s if you review Sergei Nikonenko’s comedy “I don’t want to get married!” with Tatyana Dogileva, Mikhail Evdokimov and Evgeny Leonov-Gladyshev in the main roles. In addition, from 1999 to 2001, most of the filming of the popular Russian-Belarusian comedy series “Accelerated Help” took place in Belarus. But the real glory of Minsk, as a city of cinema, was, of course, brought by the “Kamenskaya” series, based on the detective novels of Russian writer Alexandra Marinina. Almost all episodes of the six seasons were filmed in Belarus. Park them. Gorky, Svisloch embankment, GUM, Minsk course – all locations are absolutely recognizable.A little later, Minsk GUM and part of Independence Avenue “played” Moscow’s Tverskaya Street in the hit film “Stilyagi” by Valery Todorovsky. The film is set in Moscow in the 1950s. The director repeatedly emphasized in an interview: only in Belarus could he find the elements of that very Soviet era that had left most cities Russians.The Museum of Folk Architecture and Life in Ozerets, a suburb of Minsk, is the second most popular location after Belarusfilm among Russian filmmakersIn 2014, another Russian film landing force landed in Minsk. The ORT channel sent Ada Rogovtseva and Artyom Tkachenko to the city to soak up the spirit of the 1950s, and Soviet film bosses entrusted director Alena Semenova with making Moscow Moscow from Minsk. The then debutante Ksenia Lukyanchikova was approved for the main role in the film “The Red Queen”, which, thanks to the manipulations of makeup artists, turned out to be an exact copy of the legendary model Regina Zbarskaya – the French magazine “Paris Match” once dubbed it “The most beautiful weapon in the Kremlin”. The series became an instant hit and is still among the most watched on streaming services.
In the footsteps of the Spy
By the way, enough successful films, in which the main avenue of Minsk and its surroundings are easily recognizable, have been shot today. Among the most famous are “PiraMMMida” from the brainchild of businessman Sergei Mavrodi and “Spy” with Danila Kozlovsky and Fyodor Bondarchuk, who in one of the episodes are walking around Victory Square of the capital city. Most of the Russian TV series, where authentic corners of the Khrushchev era appear in the frame, were also filmed in the main avenue of Minsk. One of the recent successes of the first Russian channel – the multi-part film “Defenders”, based on the book “Notes of a lawyer” by Dina Kaminskaya – was also shot in the Belarusian capital.
Famous Russian director Dmitry Astrakhan actively promotes and poetizes Minsk. Last year, Dmitry Khananovich, head of the jury of the main feature film competition “Listapada”, in an interview with journalists recalled that in the 1990s he was the first director who believed in Minsk in as a reliable cinema partner:- In 1995, my film “Everything will be fine” won the Grand Prize at the Minsk Film Festival. From that moment, the city became absolutely native to me. I did 28 paintings in Minsk. I filmed all Belarusian actors, many played their first roles. I know all the artists in this town, I know their skill level. After our first successes, others came here. Valera Todorovsky and other directors also began working in Minsk.
The last film Astrakhan shot in Minsk was the drama “The Fate of a Saboteur”, in which the star of the TV series “Molodezhka” Alexei Surensky played the main role. People’s Artist of Russia Andrey Smolyakov will appear as the “bad guy” in the film. Alexander Semchev also had to learn a few phrases in German – the star of soap operas and detective films played a Gestapo officer. Recall that the screenplay of “The Fate of a Saboteur” was based on the true story of the leader of the partisan sabotage group Fyodor Krylovich, who in 1943 blew up a train in the car depot at the Osipovichi station. In the film, the hero received a new name, but in accordance with the original name – Ales Arlovich. By the way, the place of action was also changed: Osipovichi turned into Astapovichi. The operation itself, now known as the “Krylovitch sabotage”, was filmed at Bogatyrevo station near Minsk.Minsk GUM and part of Independence Avenue “played” in Valery Todorovsky’s film “Dandies”. Photo: sb.byHalf an hour before spring
The Museum of Architecture and Folk Life in Ozerets, on the outskirts of Minsk, is the second most visited location (after the Belarusfilm natural site) by Russian filmmakers. The huts of the museum village and the paths that connect them are easily recognizable in almost all modern films. Among other things, Vadim Sokolovsky’s fairy tale “The Book of Masters”, the historical film “Pop” with Sergei Makovetsky, the village comedy “Five Brides” and the TV series “Wolf Messing” were shot here. By the way, the longest – almost five months! – The film crew of Wolf Messing, led by director Vladimir Krasnopolsky, worked in Belarus, and in particular in Minsk, where the famous psychic artist lived for some time. The film crew of the picture also managed to light up in the Zaslavl analytics. Pay attention to the first episodes that tell about the childhood of the main character: the Cathedral of the Transfiguration flickers several times in the frame – its “turret” can hardly be confused with any other.In recent years, the first post-war residential development in Minsk has also gained considerable popularity in the film environment – we are talking about the area of the tractor factory. All the while, among enthusiasts there is even talk of turning the village into a tourist and excursion area – a thematic reserve of the 40s and 50s. However, the two-story building attracts not only historians and guides: Traktorogorod (this is how Belarusian writers and poets call the region in their works) has recently been more and more often remembered by Russian filmmakers.Chebotareva and Stakhanovskaya streets lead in terms of the number of appearances on cinema and television screens. Here, among other things, the films “Homunculus”, one of the first Russian zombie horror films “Winter of the Dead: Snowstorm”, “Native Blood”, “Kiss of Socrates”, “My Close Enemy”, the TV series “Kamenskaya”, “Zhurov-2” were filmed and many others. But the Tractor Village’s most striking appearances on the cinema screen are scenes from Danila Kozlovsky’s disaster film “Chernobyl” about the nuclear power plant accident in 1986 and the upcoming melodrama “Half an Hour Until Spring” about the leader of the “Pesnyars” Vladimir Mulyavin. The series will air this month.
