BOOK ADAPTATIONS

The adventures of and Doctor Watson (1979-1986) This collection includes some of the most popular cases, like "The Sign of Four", "His Last Bow" and "The Hound of the Baskervilles". The saga of Sherlock Holmes is immensely popular in , and also recognized abroad, so much so that Queen Elizabeth II considers Vasily Livanov's portrayal of the title character to be the best of non-English speaking actors. Livanov was appointed to the Order of the British Empire for his work on Sherlock Holmes.

Anna Karenina (1967) Based on the novel by . This is the most lavishly recreated, faithful adaptation of Tolstoy's psychological masterpiece that deconstructs family ties and moral codes of pre-revolutionary Russia.

Boris Godunov (1987) Based on the novel in verse by Alexander Pushkin. This quintessential Russian opera (filmed at the Bolshoi theater for television) brings to the stage one of the most curious episodes in the history of 16th century Russia.

The Brothers Karamazov (2009) Based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Fyodor Karamazov and his three sons have always had a complicated relationship, marred by passion, greed and hot tempers. When the father is found dead in his home, each son in under investigation, with an equally strong motive for such a hideous crime.

The Conqueror (2009) Based on the novel "Taras Bulba" by Nikolai Gogol. In the midst of a brutal war Taras Bulba learns that his farm has been destroyed, his eldest son captured and his wife murdered. Seeking vengeance, the fierce warrior sets off on an epic mission for retribution.

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Crime and punishment (1969) Crime and punishment (mini-series) (2007) Based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky. A poor student, Rodion Raskolnikov, is driven by desperation to murder an elderly loan shark. The crime is inevitably followed by pangs of conscience: his soul, burdened by the sin of murder, is torn between faith and faithlessness, hope and despair.

The dawn is quiet around here (1972) Based on the novel by Boris Vasiliev. A tragic tale of a band of young girls, who are fighting on the border of Russia in World War II, and their commander, a battle-hardened soldier, who tries to do everything he can to save "his girls" from the inevitable.

Doctor Zhivago (mini-series) (2011) Based on the Nobel Prize winning novel by . This adaptation stays true to Pasternak's epic tale of love in the times of war and a passion that can last a lifetime.

Eugene Onegin (1958) Based on the novel in verse by Alexander Pushkin. This motion picture of Peter Tchaikovsky's opera was filmed in and around Saint Petersburg using actors, singers and musicians from the Bolshoi Theater and Opera.

Faust (2011) Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival. A re-imagining of Goethe's Faust. Faust is a man in search of the ideals of Enlightenment, who becomes obsessed with lovely Margarete and sells his soul to the devil, so that he may possess her.

The flight (1970) Based on the novels "The flight" and "The White Guard" by Mikhail Bulgakov. At the end of the Civil War of 1917 the members of the White movement had to flee the country, in search of a better lot and of the Russia they'd lost forever.

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The forty-first (1956) Winner of the International Film Critics Association Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Based on the novella by Boris Lavrenyov. A Red Army detachment perishes in the Caspian sands during a hurricane. Their prisoner, White Army officer Govorukha Otrok, and his guard, the militant Malyutka, are left behind.

Goodbye, Mary Poppins! (1983) Based on the novel "Mary Poppins" by Pamela Travers. The events of this beloved children's novel are set in 1980's London where the Banks family are looking for a nanny for their kids. The nanny, Mary Poppins, arrives unexpectedly from the sky, which makes the children suspect that she may be an alien.

Hard to be a god (2013) Based on the novel by the Strugatsky brothers. Taking place on the planet Arkanar, which is in the midst of its own Middle Ages, the film focuses on Don Rumata, one of the group of Earth scientists who have been sent to Arkanar to observe, but not interfere with life on this mysterious planet. Needless to say, things don't go as planned from the start.

Heart of a dog (1988) Based on the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. A science-fiction drama about a transformation of a dog into a human being. The story was believed to be a mockery of the Soviet system, and therefore banned till the end of Gorbachev's rule.

The hot snow (1973) Based on the novels "The quiet", "The shore" and "The choice" by Yuri Bondarev. One of the biggest battles of World War II, the battle of Volga, is shown through the eyes of the Soviet soldiers who, at the price of heroic effort and their own lives, did not let the enemy take over their land.

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The Idiot (mini-series) (2003) Based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Count Myshkin comes home to Saint Petersburg from Switzerland, where he was treated in a mental hospital. On the way, he meets Parphyon Rogozhyn, who tells him about his passionate affair with Nastasya Fillipovna, and the story leaves Myshkin rattled and desperate to meet this mysterious lady.

In the fog (2012) Winner of the International Film Critics Association Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Based on the novel by Vasyl Bykov. It is 1942 and the western edge of the USSR is under German occupation. The partisan movement is growing stronger, fighting off the occupants, but even an innocent Russian by-stander can be mistaken for an enemy during these horrifying times.

Ivan Vasilievich changes his profession (1973) Based on the play by Mikhail Bulgakov. Through the use of a time machine Ivan the Terrible swaps places with Ivan Bunsha, who looks exactly like him. Now a timid Soviet man has to govern a 16th century Russia on the brink of a revolution, while the terrifying Tsar must navigate the strange and alien world of 1970's .

The Lady with the dog (1960) Nominee of Palm D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Based on the short story by Anton Chekhov. Told with little dialogue and minimal action, this romantic drama is a bittersweet portrait of a doomed love affair between Dmitry, the bank manager, and Anna, a well-to-do young woman.

My tender and affectionate beast (1978) Based on the novella "A hunting drama" by Anton Chekhov. Sergei Kamyshev, a successful detective, visits his friend, Count Korneyev, at his country estate. There Kamyshev meets the enchanting Olga, who is set to marry an elderly estate manager. Kamyshev and Olga embark on a passionate affair that will have dire consequences for the whole community.

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Nest of the gentry (1969) Based on the novel by Ivan Turgenev. The film portrays the life of Russian gentry in the 1840's. After a long time spent traveling through Europe, young landowner Lavretsky returns to his family estate, eager to settle down and become the ruler of his "nest".

Oblomov (1979) Based on the novel by Ivan Goncharov. Oleg Tabakov brings to the title role a delicate dignity as the gentle aristocrat who would rather sleep than compete in a modern world of expanding industrialization - a character both lovable and ludicrous.

Peter the Great: the last testament (2011) Based on the novel "Evenings with Peter the Great" by Daniel Granin. This epic drama tells the story of Peter the Great's last true love for a princess who was 30 years his junior. It was a passionate affair, doomed from the start.

Quiet flows the Don (1957) Based on the Nobel Prize winning novel by . This is a spectacular, sprawling epic of the Russian Revolution and an honest, intimate drama of two lovers lost in the storm of history.

The State Counselor (2005) Based on the novel by Boris Akunin. The film blends historical fiction with a thrilling detective story of state counselor Erast Fandorin who is being framed for the murder of a high-ranking government official, whom Fandorin was tasked to protect.

They fought for their Motherland (1975) Directed by Sergei Bondarchuk. Based on the novel by Mikhail Sholokhov. July 1942, the Soviet army is retreating. A group of exhausted soldiers, all that's left of their regiment, is defending a plot of rural land. The juxtaposition of fruitful nature that seems oblivious

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The Turkish gambit (2005) Based on the novel by Boris Akunin. Tells the story of a Serbian volunteer, Erast Fandorin, who cooperated with the Russian secret service during the war between Russia and Turkey in 1877.

Vassilisa the Beautiful (1939) Based on a popular Russian folk tale. The tale of a prince who brings home a frog as his bride, to the dismay of his father. The frog turns out to be a princess who refused to marry a monster and was cursed to become a frog.

War and peace (1965) Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film Based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy. Directed by Sergei Bondarchuk, this epic masterpiece flawlessly recreates the events of Russia's war with Napoleon, and tells a tale of family life in such turbulent times.

Ward No.6 (2011) Based on the short story by Anton Chekhov. A modern adaptation of Chekhov's classic tale of a psychiatrist who ends up a patient in his own hospital. The film was shot in a real mental institution, where the director also conducted interviews with actual patients. Thus this film blends realism and fiction in a deep study of the human character and government institutions.

The White Guard (mini-series) (2012) Based on the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. A tragic story of a family trying to preserve their home and values during the Russian Revolution, World War I and the Civil War.

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COMEDY

Business romance (1977) A lowly statistician, who is also a single father of two boys, needs to get a promotion to make ends meet. His friend thinks that flirting with the boss might fix the problem. Too bad that the boss in question is a stern woman impervious to charm.

The diamond arm (1968) A clueless Russian tourist gets involved in diamond-smuggling, and must become a double agent in order to bring the real criminals to justice.

The Elusive Avengers trilogy 1. The Elusive Avengers (1966) This vivid comedy recounts the incredible adventures of four friends during the 1920's Civil War in Russia. 2. The New adventures of the Elusive Avengers (1968) The adventures of a magnificent foursome of brave teenagers continue when they are assigned by their commanders to get the operational map of an important area's fortifications. 3. Crown of the Russian Empire (1971) The Elusive Avengers are now tasked with protecting the Big Emperor's Crown from being used in a conspiracy to restore monarchy in Russia.

Gentlemen of fortune (1971) A timid kindergarten teacher, who looks exactly like a notorious criminal mastermind, must infiltrate his gang in order to recover a priceless artifact.

The irony of fate (1975) "Every December 31st my friends and I go to the banya..." - thus begins a legendary Soviet comedy about a man who accidentally ends up in another woman's apartment, because they have the same address and even the keys match - only he lives in Moscow, and she in Saint Petersburg.

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Kin-Dza-Dza (1986) Two Russian academics accidentally find themselves on a strange desert planet in the far away galaxy of Kin-Dza-Dza. The planet's inhabitants can read minds, so they understand Russian, but their own language is mostly comprised of incoherent sounds. The director describes this film as "Treasure Island" in outer space.

Moscow does not believe in tears (1979) Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Three young girls from rural Russia come to Moscow in search of happiness. But getting a break in the capital is not as easy as they thought. This dramedy follows their journey through life.

Operation "Uy" and other Shurik's adventures (1965) This film is comprised of three separate novellas united by the main character, Shurik, who constantly gets himself into trouble with the law, other criminals and - worst of all - women.

The prisoner of the Caucasus, or Shurik's new adventures (1966) Alexander, or Shurik, an anthropology student goes to a remote town in the Caucasus mountains to learn about local customs and traditions. Little does he know that his expedition will turn him into an accomplice in a kidnapping.

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DRAMA

The Barber of Siberia (1999) presents another look at a turbulent time in Russian history, this time the epoch of Alexander III. The story blends historic commentary with a tragic love story.

Brother (1997) This is a Russian cult classic, a grim but rather realistic portrait of the "Wild Nineties". It chronicles the descent of Danila, fresh off his military duty, into the newly formed criminal world of Saint Petersburg, a once majestic city that's now a chaotic mess of consumerism and criminal activity.

Burnt by the sun (1994) Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. A moving and poignant story of an idyllic family life on the brink of collapse, set against the backdrop of Stalin's tyrannical regime.

Conductor (2012) A conductor takes his orchestra on a tour of Jerusalem, and goes through a personal journey, battling his demons and searching for the true meaning of his life.

Elena (2012) Winner of the International Film Critics Association Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. A subtly stylish exploration of crime, punishment and human nature. The story of Elena and her husband, her extended family and his children, all fighting for his inheritance, but ultimately losing the most important thing - their family.

How I ended this summer (2010) Two Arctic explorers - one experienced and hardened by life, another young and fresh out of college - are trying to work together on a project, but the relationship is tense. It doesn't get any better when terrible news come from the main land and the two strangers must confront them, together.

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The Island (2006) The story of Father Anatoly, a very unorthodox Orthodox monk who lives in a small monastery in Northern Russia. He isolates himself from the world and even from the other monks, but his fame (or notoriety) precedes him and people keep flocking to him for help. He is regarded as a saint, but sees himself as a sinner, who has to atone for the crime that he committed during World War II.

Khrustalev, bring me the car! (1998) Nominee of Palm D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The action takes place during the "Case of the Doctors" during the 1950's, when large numbers of medical professionals were sent away to labor camps for no particular reason. One doctor, Yuri Klensky, tries to escape the authorities, but ends up being captured by forces far more sinister.

Leviathan (2014) Winner of the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. A grim tale of corruption and human pettiness that takes place in a remote Russian town.

Nostalgia (1983) An autobiographical meditation on loneliness and deep yearning for your homeland, this is Tarkovsky's late masterpiece, filmed in Italy but filled with Russian symbolism and poetic language.

The Return (2003) Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival. Two brothers, Andrei and Ivan, live in the Russian wilderness relying only on each other - until their absentee father makes a sudden return. Elated at first, they soon realize that this strange man might not have the best intentions for his reunion.

Roads to Koktebel (2003) A father sets off from Moscow with his 11-year-old son for his sister's house in Koktebel by the Black Sea. With no money and no means of transport, they drift through the expansive and diverse landscape of Russia at the mercy of chance.

The second circle (1990) A poignant tale of loss, this film centers on a young man's farewell to his father, through which he tries to breach the gap between alienated Soviet generations.

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A slave to love (1976) Nikita Mikhalkov's clever take on the Russian Civil War, this film observes the tragic events through the eyes of the filmmakers of that time, who were making a love story, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil that has captured their country.

Sokurov: early masterworks 1. Whispering pages (1989) is a brooding, beautiful film inspired by 19th century Russian literature, especially Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment". 2. Stone (1990) is a mysterious tale about a young night watchman's encounter with the ghost of Chekhov. 3. (1994) is a visually sumptuous adaptation of Flaubert's Madame Bovary.

The Thief (1997) Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. An intimate story of a single mother looking for a new father figure for her six year old son encapsulates a greater, tragic tale of Russian society that's trying to rebuild itself after Wold War II.

Twelve (2007) Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. A remake of "12 angry men". Directed by Nikita Mikhalkov. When a Chechen boy is put on trial for the murder of his stepfather, it's up to a room-full of jurors, divided by racism and prejudice, to determine the boy's ultimate fate.

Tycoon (A New Russian) (2002) A stylish, slick crime drama based on the life of notorious billionaire Boris Berezovsky, "Tycoon" follows the life of Platon Makovsky, a renegade Russian entrepreneur whose immoral climb to the top in the post-Soviet era flourishes as the line between business, crime and politics breaks down.

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HISTORIC EVENTS

1612 (2007) After the brutal slaughter of Tsar Boris Godunov and his family, Russia descends into chaos. Andrei, the sole witness to the massacre, sets off on a mission to find Princess Ksenia, the only surviving member of the royal family.

Agony (1975) Under the direction of celebrated film-maker Elim Klimov, Alexei Petrenko delivers a ferociously over-the-top performance as Grigory Rasputin, the wandering Siberian monk whose messianic influence upon Russia's monarch led its people, like lambs to the slaughter, into World War I and consequent revolution.

Alexander Nevsky (1938) Sergei Eisenstein's masterpiece features some of the most beautiful imagery ever seen in a film, a majestic music score by Sergei Prokofiev, and a dazzling, climactic battle on a frozen lake.

Andrei Rublev (1966) Winner of the International Film Critics Association Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Andrei Tarkovsky's take on the life of Russia's greatest icon painter was considered too experimental, too frightening, too violent and too politically complicated to be released in full - until now.

The Battleship Potemkin (1925) This is one of a handful of films at the core of cinema history. Sergei Eisenstein's unique take on the unsuccessful 1905 Russian Revolution earned him instant, worldwide fame and pushed Soviet Cinema to the forefront of the international film scene.

The captivating star of happiness (1975) The film starts on a pivotal day in Russian history - December 14, 1825, the day of the Decembrist revolt. Most of the officers who took a stand against the Russian monarchy were sent to labor camps in Siberia, but the film focuses on the women who went with them - better known as the Decembrist Wives.

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Dostoevsky (mini-series) (2011) This mini-series follows the life of Fyodor Dostoevsky, passionate gambler and lover, state convict and brilliant writer.

The House of Romanov (2013) This mini-series encapsulates 400 years of the rule of the Romanov dynasty. Combining the elements of documentary and feature film-making, it tells a sweeping tale of Russia's ruling clan.

Ivan the Terrible (1944) This is Sergei Eisenstein's epic tale of the first "Tsar of all of Russia", a brutal and charismatic ruler, who will forever be remembered as Ivan the Terrible.

Russian Ark (2002) A groundbreaking feat of filmmaking, 's amazing journey through the halls of the Hermitage and 300 years of Russian history, is the first ever feature to be shot in a single, unedited take.

Tchaikovsky (1971) Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The majestic music and fascinating life of Peter Tchaikovsky are evocatively presented in this Academy Award-nominated film by writer/director Igor Talankin and celebrated composer Dmitri Tiomkin.

Three complete classics of the Soviet avant-garde 1. Earth (1930) Workers on the Ukrainian farms struggle to use the land for what they think are the best purposes. Reflects the agricultural collectivization that was going on in the at the time this film was made. 2. The end of Saint Petersburg (1927) Offers a view of changing conditions in Russia as interpreted by a young peasant who lived through the upheaval in Saint Petersburg which culminated in revolution in 1917. Surveys the events of the war years, the overthrow of the Czarist regime, and the final establishment of the people's government and the transition from Saint Petersburg to Leningrad. 3. Chess fever (1925) A young man's passion for the game threatens to wreck his marriage.

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WAR DRAMA

Alexandra (2007) Featuring a mesmerizing performance by a Russian opera legend, Galina Vishnevskaya. An elderly woman comes to the far reaches of Russia to see her grandson, stationed at a military outpost. With the enemy just beyond the compound, she wanders the barracks observing the routines of military life, before making a sudden trip into the outlying countryside.

Ballad of a soldier (1961) Winner of the BAFTA award for Best Film. Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Screenplay. In the middle of World War II, Alyosha is commended for destroying two German tanks. Rather than accepting the medal, Alyosha asks to make a trip home to visit his mother. This is the story of his difficult journey and the life-changing encounters he makes on the way.

Brest Fortress (2010) "I'm dying but I'm not giving up" - this was the mantra of the brave soldiers and civilians who perished in Brest during the first days of the German invasion of the USSR. Based on real events, facts and artifacts, the story is told through the eyes of a teenage boy, a real soldier who survived in this brutal battle and fought till the end of the War as a partisan.

Burnt by the sun, part 2: Citadel (2011) An unexpected follow-up to the award-winning original movie by Nikita Mikhalkov, "Citadel" resurrects Captain Kotov for a final battle for his honor, his family and his beloved homeland. The film is set during World War II.

Checkpoint (1971) Alexander Lazarev, who was captured by the Nazis and cooperated with them, manages to escape and return to his homeland. Somewhere along the Russian border, he meets a platoon that questions his loyalty and subjects him to a check to see, whose side he's on.

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Come and see (1985) Set in Soviet Belarus during World War II, the story follows Florya, a newly enlisted and innocent partisan, as he staggers, dazed and petrified, through the merciless horror of the struggle against Nazi Germany. Real ammunition was used during filming to achieve maximum realism, and the experience was so traumatic for the young actor who portrayed Florya that he refused to make another film for almost twenty years.

Commissar (1967) An extraordinary drama, set against the Russian Civil War, that tells the story of Klavdia Vavilova, portrayed by Nonna Mordyukova, one of the strongest Russian actors. Klavdia is a fearless warrior, fiercely loyal to her country, who makes one fatal mistake and must decide what's more important - motherland or motherhood.

The cranes are flying (1958) Winner of Palm D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. This legendary film, the winner of many international awards, tells a tragic tale of two lovers forever separated by World War II.

Ivan's childhood (1962) Andrei Tarkovsky's prize-winning debut feature is an extraordinarily moving and powerful story of war and redemption, set in the partisan movement of Russia during World War II.

Moloch (1999) Twenty-four hours in the life of Eva Braun and Adolf Hitler in the spring of 1942. Alexander Sokurov filmed this controversial masterpiece in the actual fortress in the Bavarian Alps, that Hitler used as a hideout and factory for his diabolical plans.

Ninth company (2005) Directed by Fyodor Bondarchuk, the son of legendary director Sergei Bondarchuk. Based on real life events, the film recounts a year in the shared lives of a group of young soldiers drafter to serve in Afghanistan during the final stage of the Soviet conflict.

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Our own (2004) Three prisoners - an officer, a politician and a sniper - escape from German captivity during World War II and seek refuge in a small village on the Russian border. But they are not safe, since one of the men has been collaborating with the Germans, and he must soon face a dire choice.

Prisoner of the mountains (1996) Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Two Russians soldiers - a fresh recruit Vanya and a hardened veteran Sasha - are taken hostage by the Chechen guerrillas after a deadly ambush kills the rest of their platoon.

The Star (2002) Set during the end of World War II, on the Polish front separating the Russian and German armies, the film tells a tense and exhilarating tale of a Russian scout unit that traps and kills Nazis, bringing the victory closer, one kill at a time.

Twenty days without war (1976) Lopatin, a war journalist, is granted twenty days of leave for his courageous fight in the . He goes to Tashkent, where life goes on as usual - people love and lose each other, the theater is putting on a new play; only everything is tainted with misery, hunger and the inevitable arrival of the "death letters".

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