15 Russian films to be proud of

In honor of the last August 27 professional holiday of all cinematographers and film lovers — the Day of Russian Cinema — we present to your attention 15 excellent films made by Russian directors over the past 20 years.

1. Brother and Brother-2 (1997 and 2000, Alexey Balabanov)

In the movie "Brother", as in its sequel, the main character Danila Bagrov tries to establish justice by all means available to him. A stunning soundtrack, a unique atmosphere, national recognition — Alexey Balabanov's cult dramas do not need a special introduction.

2. Tired of the Sun (1994, Nikita Mikhalkov)

The film won the Academy Award in the nomination "Best Foreign Film" and the Grand Prix of the 47th Cannes Film Festival. Nikita Sergeevich's strong and realistic drama is rightfully considered one of the best films of the 90s.

3. Live (2011, Vasily Sigarev)

A person knows how to feel, suffer, love. He knows how to accept his fate, even when it takes away the most valuable — loved ones. It takes away along with the meaning of life and the desire to live. It takes away along with the whole world. But the heroes of the film are not ready to put up with their losses. They challenge fate, declare war on it and reach the human limit in it.

4. Portraying the Victim (2006, Kirill Serebrennikov)

Senior student Valentin, in order to earn extra money, gets a job in the police for a kind of position — to restore the picture of the crime, he needs to portray the victim. Almost the entire film we watch what is happening through the eyes of the main character. The characters are ordinary people with their own problems and shortcomings. An ambiguous film: it is both terribly sad and insanely funny.

5. Down House (2001, Roman Kachanov)

A modern interpretation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel The Idiot. Grotesquely, in a comedic form, social relations in Moscow society of the late 1990s - early 2000s are shown. Fans of the absurd and subtle parody must watch.

6. Rita's Last Fairy Tale (2012, Renata Litvinova)

The basis of the plot is the comprehension of love by the three main characters. The tragic story of love and friendship is masterfully written out in the picture, moments of cynical indifference and meanness are shown — three women, three states of mind, three eternal themes: love, death and the search for happiness. And one angel of death, accompanying to the other world the souls of those who are able to love. A story unfolding on the edge of reality and beyond to the soundtracks of the wonderful Zemfira.

7. The Cuckoo (2002, Alexander Rogozhkin)

Two soldiers of the warring armies were sheltered by a woman, Annie, who speaks neither Russian nor Finnish. This is the story of the interaction of three completely different people, dissimilar cultures. Despite the circumstances, the main characters of the film are trying to find understanding.

8. Walk (2003, Alexey Uchitel)

Two young men accidentally meet a girl, Olya, and go for a walk together in St. Petersburg. This spontaneous walk will bring a lot of emotions to the trio: laughter and tears, hatred and love, disappointment and inspiration, rage and calmness.

9. The Mermaid (2007, Anna Melikyan)

Alice is a chronic loser. But in one thing she was fabulously lucky — Alice knows how to talk to the sea and has the gift of influencing events in the world. She can change other people's lives, but is she able to cope with her desires, which are immediately fulfilled?

10. Elena (2011, Andrey Zvyagintsev)

The film "Elena" tells the story of an elderly couple, in which husband Vladimir treats his wife more like a servant, and not as a beloved woman. Once in the hospital, where only his daughter visits him, Vladimir revises his will, leaving his wife Elena practically nothing, and she is forced to take desperate steps.

11. Kitty (2009, Gregory of Constantinople)

The psychological comedy "Kitty" will reveal to you four completely different views: a baby, a successful businessman, a loser writer and an old ballerina. Each of them lives in expectation of a great chance — for love, for success, for justice. But all the stories are connected in an unexpected way.

12. Driver for Faith (2004, Pavel Chukhray)

The characters of this film are people of a difficult fate. The gentle sun of the Black Sea coast, the atmosphere of the sixties with their music, fashion, cars, their way of life and entertainment coexist in the film with the secret struggle for spheres of influence between the army and the KGB. Bright acting work, interesting plot twists, and in addition — the "Nick" award for best music.

13. It doesn't hurt me (2006, Alexey Balabanov)

Lyrical melodrama, an unusual, piercing, touching love story of a young poor guy Misha and an adult wealthy woman Tata. The worthy work of Alexey Balabanov, the enjoyment of the game of the delightful Renata Litvinova and the young Alexander Yatsenko.

14. Bury me behind the baseboard (2008, Sergey Snezhkin)

The film adaptation of the novel by Pavel Sanaev, partly autobiographical. A film about the life of an eight-year-old boy Sasha Savelyev. He lives with his grandmother because she does not trust the upbringing of the child to her daughter, whom she considers dissolute. Grandma is a real tyrant, and she and her mother literally tear the child apart.

15. Radio Day (2008, Dmitry Dyachenko)