shows not only in all its magnitude, but also its neighboring countries— in particular. The voiceover (Kostantin Khabenskii) mentions that wherever we are—in St. Petersburg or Astana—on New Year’s Eve “we are all one” as we decorate our trees and chop salads. Thus, the line of alleged cosmopolitanism is defined from the very beginning and sets the tone for the rest of the film. This theme is further developed in one of the subplots of the film—in a romantic love story of a Russian girl, Alena (Alena Konstantinova), the daughter of a harsh policeman Vetrov (Sergei Bezrukov), and Aslan (Iznaur Ortsuev), an Asian Elki 2 guy from Chechnia (novella “Romeo” by Aleksandr Kott). The feelings of these young Russia, 2011 people are unacceptable to their fathers because of Color, 106 minutes their ethnic backgrounds. At the end of the film, Russian, English subtitles however, after a series of peregrinations, the two Director: Dmitrii Kiselev, Aleksandr Baranov, loving hearts are united at the hospital, as each of Aleksandr Kott, them, though in different circumstances, breaks a Screenplay: , Ol'ga Kharina, leg, with a symbol of their love, a wing, tattooed Anna Matison, Roman Nepomniashchii on each of them. Their fathers, although hostile at Camera: Levan Kapanadze, Maksim Shinkorenko, first, have to submit to the feelings of their Sergei Trofimov children, thus establishing a friendly relationship Music: Pavel Esenin not only between themselves but also between Cast: Ivan Urgant, Sergei Svetlakov, Aleksei nations—a classic Soviet sentiment. Petrenko, Irina Alferova Reconciliation between nations would be Producer: Timur Bekmambetov, Iva Stromilova one of the most compelling topics of the film if Production: GK Bazelevs, Rossia 1 TV Channel only the street cleaner in Red Square were not Asian. In spite of the sentimental Romeo and Elki 2, like its predecessor, Elki (2010), Juliet story that is dragged through the entire film, consists of six interconnected subplots with one the Asian street cleaner represents a state of major plot uniting the rest of the novellas into a inequality and an actual perspective of Asians single narrative. Elki 2 also repeats the tradition within Russian society. Ironically enough, it is of beginning the film with a visual presentation of this character who explains the unity of the a map of Russia and an emphasis on how huge country and people to Pasha (Nikita and powerful the country is. In the earlier film, Presniakov) using a visual image of a Christmas however, the focus was on the unity of the country tree. as a whole, despite its numerous time zones, due In the novella, in which Boria (Ivan to the celebration of two major holidays: a Urgant) is trying to reunite with his ex-girlfriend, successful win by a Russian football team and the Olia (Elena Plaksina), in spite of his amnesia New Year. The pronouns “we” and “ours,” which (novella “Amnesia” by Dmitrii Kiselev) the resound multiple times, are indicative of the unity friendly attitude towards foreigners is further and solidarity of the country, which is also questioned. Olia’s new boyfriend, the Frenchman reminiscent of the spirit of the . Francois, hates all Russian New Year traditions— These imperial notes continue in Elki 2. decorating trees, the “oliv'ie” salad, and the Here, however, the narrative is developed in a traditional Soviet New Year film, The Irony of slightly different direction, although generally Fate (Ironia Sud'by, 1976). The tradition of consistent with the hegemonic line established in decorating a fir tree on winter holidays is not the earlier film. Elki 2 begins with the statement solely Russian, though. The French have trees for that all people are brothers and sisters, as the map Christmas and the New Year, which is why Francois’s allergy to trees is an explicit politician, who turns out to be surprisingly exaggeration. The petty-bourgeois lifestyle of benevolent. First, he releases two teenagers who Olia and her mother, Natal'ia (Galina Kon'shina) caused a road accident with a bathtub and broke suggests that the virtues of globalization have his luxurious car, and later he lets Grigorii know already reached their house, where imported about Iulia waiting for him in Moscow. The goods, like blue cheese or aged wine are available theme of humane and reachable politicians who to them. Yet, Natal'ia behaves like a Soviet always hear peoples’ needs proceeds from the woman still living behind the Iron Curtain, and previous Elki. In the earlier film, it is President she throws away the “bad” French food Francois Medvedev himself who participates in the brings and continues to talk about the green peas narrative, saving a little girl’s life by saying she needs for her salad. As in Soviet times, the certain words in his New Year’s speech. The idyll Western world is pictured as an embodiment of of magnanimous politicians of any level promoted everything negative; so an understanding between in both films, however, is as true to life as the rest Russia and the West is ultimately impossible. of the stories. This novella is nostalgic for Soviet life As a whole, the film tends to emphasize throughout, as well as xenophobic in its attitude the welfare of the Russian people in modern towards the West. times, yet lapses into Soviet mythology. At the It is noteworthy that Olia, and as it turns same time, the harsh truth of poverty and the out later, her brother Pasha (Petr Fedorov), who is underdevelopment of certain regions is still trying to reunite with his family by visiting his palpable in the stories of an old woman happy to daughter dressed up as Ded Moroz (novella “Ded obtain a bathtub from a politician (novella Moroz” directed by Aleksandr Baranov), bear a “Bathtub” by Dmitrii Kiselev) or in the airdrome Ukrainian family name—Kovalchuk. Whether it novella, in which a young boy, Andrei, suffers is a deliberate choice or an unintentional use of because of the unavailability of a telephone the name, it says a lot about the vision of connection. In general, the film has lost all of the Ukrainians within this brotherhood of nations—as humor of the previous comedy, the development amalgamated elements without any distinct and justification of the subplots are weak, the national features. dynamics are too slow and the film succeeds only The most obvious nostalgia for the Soviet from the names of actors in its cast. Union is depicted in the “master novella” of the film, in which Iulia Snegireva (Irina Alferova), Tetyana Shlikhar receives a letter from her beloved after it was lost for forty years (novella “The Chimes” directed by Levan Gabriadze). In this letter, a young pilot, Dmitrii Kiselev was born in Moscow in 1978 and Grigorii Zemlianikin (Aleksei Petrenko), tells her graduated from Moscow Technical University of that he will be waiting for her on New Year’s Telecommunications and Information night under the clock in Red Square. Iulia Technologies. He has been working in Timur immediately comes to Red Square in Moscow Bekmambetov’s team since 1997. Kiselev is most from Astana, wearing the same blue scarf she famous for his films Elki 2 (2011), Black used to wear in 1971, and stays there in the winter Lightening (2009), and Gentlemen, Good Luck! cold all day until midnight waiting for her (2012), as well as promotional trailers for Day beloved. After the anxiety of the long wait and all Watch (2005) and Especially Dangerous (2008). of the adventures Grigorii undergoes that night (novella “Airplane” directed by Aleksandr Kott), Selected Filmography: he finally comes to meet Iulia and suddenly stumbles, turning into the young pilot he used to 2009 Black Lightening be forty years ago, after which both of them 2010 Elki finally find themselves in the beautiful Soviet past 2011 Elki 2 (novellas “Amnesia” and of their youth. “Bathtub”) It is notable that their meeting is mediated 2012 Gentlemen, Good Luck! by Grigorii’s cousin, Igor' (Viktor Verzhbitskii) 2013 Elki 3 who also used to be in love with Iulia. Igor' is a 2014 Elki 1914 2014 Bones (TV) TV show, was released. In 2014 Kott’s Test 2015 Londongrad: Know Our People (TV) received the main prize at the “Kinotavr” festival.

Selected Filmography: Aleksandr Baranov was born in 1955 in Alma- Ata. He graduated from Gerasimov Institute of 2001 Two Drivers Were Going Cinematography, Department of scriptwriting, in 2002 Circus 1985. His first work as a director is The Three 2004 Escort PQ-17 [Troe] (1988) made in co-authorship with Bakhyt 2006 Hero of our Time Kalibaev. The film was awarded four Grand Prix 2007 Outsider at the festivals of “Debut,” “Molodost',” and 2009 I will Show you Moscow “Sozvezdie.” He is one of the authors of the 2009 An Intimate Embrace script for Igla (1988), with Viktor Tsoi starring in 2010 The Brest Castle it. Baranov worked as a director, scriptwriter and 2011 Elki 2 (novellas “Airplane” and producer of Shanhai (1996), which received an “Romeo,”) award at the “Zolotoi Vitiaz'” Kyiv Festival. 2012 Broody Hens 2013 Elki 3 Selected Filmography: 2013 The Third World War 2014 Test 1988 The Three 2014 Elki 1914 1989 Woman of the Day 1990 The Tick 1996 Shanhai Levan Gabriadze was born in 1969 in into 1997 New Year’s Story the family of the drama and prose writer Rezo 2006 The Gromovs Gabriadze and musician Elena Dzhaparidze. At 2010 Love under Coverage the age of 12 Levan began to work as an assistant 2011 Elki 2 (novella “Ded Moroz”) and actor at his father’s theater. When he was 17 2012 Gentlemen, Good Luck! he was invited to play one of the leading roles in 2013 Brother and Sister Kin-dza-dza (1986) by Georgii Danelia. He 2013 Blue Sea Never Ends graduated from Shota Rustavelli Theater Institute 2014 Ekaterina with a major in acting. In 1990 he began his 2014 Secret of the Idol studies at UCLA, Department of Design and Animation. In 2000 he moved to Moscow where he became a TV commercial director at Bazelevs Aleksandr Kott was born in 1973 in Moscow. film studio. In 2010 he made his first full-length He is the twin brother of Vladimir Kott, also a film, Vykrutasy, which received the “Zolotaia . After graduation from the School of taiga” prize at the “Dukh Ognia” (Spirit of Fire) Aesthetic Education at the Theater on Red Presna festival in Khanty-Mansiisk in 2011. in 1990, he worked as a photographer. Aleksandr participated in several photo exhibitions: “Gallery Selected Filmography: on Pirogovka,” museum of GITIS, Academy of Culture. In 1994 he began his studies at 2011 Vykrutasy Gerasimov’s Institute of Cinematography. In fall 2011 Elki 2 (novella “Chimes”) 1997 he participated in Andrzej Wajda’s master- 2013 Elki 3 class in Krakow. In 2000 he completed his 2015 To Unfriend studies. In 2001 his debut film, Two Drivers Were Going was released. The film received “the best director’s work” award at the “Kinoshock” festival. In 2006 he made a screen version of Lermontov’s novel Hero of our Time. In November 2012 his 16-episode TV show, The Reverse Side of the Moon, an adaptation of a BBC