UPDATE: Click here to read the Russia Blog review of Timati's new album Black Star.
While in Russia I had the chance to catch two movies in the theater, Zhara (Heat) and Volkodav (Wolfhound). Zhara was directed by Rezo Gigineishvili and produced by Fedor Bondarchuk, who directed Russia's submission to the U.S. Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film 9 Rota (9th Company). Bondarchuk used the same young cast from his 2005 Afghan war drama for a romantic comedy set in Moscow during a blazing hot summer. Coincidentally, this year Moscow has experienced one of the warmest winters on record.
It wouldn't have been a night at the movies in Moscow, of course, without ten cell phones ringing - and being answered - during the show. But there were plenty of cell phones ringing on the screen, so it seemed to blend in with the film's soundtrack of modern Moscow.
Zhara banner ad on Moscow's Arbat (Photo: Yuri Mamchur)
The film opens with four friends from high school reuniting in Moscow after several years. Alexei (Alexei Chadov) has returned home from the Russian Navy only to find all of school his friends seemingly living it up in Moscow. Alexei's classmate Konstantin (Konstantin Kryukov) takes the sailor for a spin along Tverskaya Street in his new Mercedes CLK coupe. Konstantin and Aleksei are joined by aspiring actor Artur (Artur Smolyaninov) and Russian hip hop artist Timati (playing himself) for lunch at a fancy restaurant on the Moscow River. The hijinks begin when the bill arrives and Konstantin tries to pay in U.S. dollars, only to find that Moscow restaurants (unlike in the 1990s) now only accept rubles. One by one, Konstantin's friends peel off with his hundred dollar bills, promising to return with rubles to pay the tab. Unfortunately for Konstantin, each one of his friends gets sidetracked.
Alexei, still wearing his sailor uniform, comes to the rescue of a beautiful girl (Agniya Ditkovskite) after she gets hit by a car, accompanying her to the hospital. On his way to get rubles, Artur wanders on to the set of a music video for the rock band Tokio being shot by Fedor Bondarchuk (also playing themselves). The star-struck Artur gets recruited to serve as an extra, but misses the bus to the video shoot and instead finds himself working on a construction site near Red Square with Moldovan migrant workers. Timati leaves the restaurant promising to get rubles, only to find himself running for his life from a gang of skinheads. Unknown to any of the classmates, a professional con artist has taken over the house owned by Konstantin's father and has hired the skinheads to kidnap Timati so that he can entertain the partygoers at "his" new home. Meanwhile, a pretty young photographer (Anastasia Kochetkova) improbably snaps photos of each classmate's misadventures in downtown Moscow. The classmates discover the photo montage when they all predictably end up in the same jail cell.
Zhara movie poster near Red Square (Photo: Charles Ganske)
Some Americans might find it offensive that Zhara's ethnic Georgian screenwriter is making fun of skinheads during a period of racial tensions in Russia. But everyone -- rich young New Russians, beautiful girls, clueless American tourists, and trendy hip hopper Timati -- gets made fun of in this movie.
Besides the gorgeous cinema photography of Moscow, the best part of this movie is the music. Timati includes several tracks from his new album Black Star in the soundtrack. Tokio, which put the rock ballad "Who Am I Without You?" on the soundtrack to 9 Rota, also provides a mellow love theme for the Alexei's pursuit of the beautiful girl before the closing credits.
Zhara is a romantic comedy not to be missed.
Trailer from the movie "Жара" (Heat)
Russian spelling of producers and cast:
Фильм: Жара
ПродюÑер: Федор Бондарчук
РежиÑÑер: Резо Гигинешвили
Ðктеры:
Тимати
ÐлекÑей Чадов
ÐÐ³Ð½Ð¸Ñ Ð”Ð¸Ñ‚ÐºÐ¾Ð²Ñките
Тигран КеоÑаÑн
ÐнаÑтаÑÐ¸Ñ ÐšÐ¾Ñ‡ÐµÑ‚ÐºÐ¾Ð²Ð°
КонÑтантин Крюков
Михаил Пореченков
Ирина Скобцева
Ðртур СмолÑнинов
Music video from the movie by Tokio - "When You're Crying" (Kagda Ti Plajesh)
(Токио: "Когда Ты Плачешь")
Scene from the movie with this song
Lyrics:
В городе пахнет только тобою
Ðиз живота наполнÑет любовью
Море улыбок и море желаний
Времени нет и нет раÑÑтоÑний
Воздух вокруг ни на что не похожий
Ðет ни машин не Ñлучайных прохожих
ЕÑÑ‚ÑŒ только Ñ‚Ñ‹ и Ñ
Когда ты плачешь
Помоги мне, Ñ Ð½Ðµ знаю, что мне делать
Может в птицу превратитьÑÑ
И улететь!
Когда ты плачешь
Помоги мне, Ñ Ð½Ðµ знаю, что мне делать
Может в птицу превратитьÑÑ
И улететь!
Помоги мне! Помоги мне! Помоги мне!
В городе пахнет только тобою
Ðиз живота наполнÑет любовью
Там где Ñ Ð±Ñ‹Ð»
Или там где Ñ Ð±ÑƒÐ´Ñƒ
Я никогда о тебе не забуду
Ðто любовь или мне Ñто ÑнитÑÑ
Солнце вÑтает и обратно ÑадитÑÑ
Ð’ наших Ñ Ñ‚Ð¾Ð±Ð¾Ð¹ глазах
Когда ты плачешь
Помоги мне, Ñ Ð½Ðµ знаю, что мне делать
Может в птицу превратитьÑÑ
И улететь!
Когда ты плачешь
Помоги мне, Ñ Ð½Ðµ знаю, что мне делать
Может в птицу превратитьÑÑ
И улететь!
Помоги мне! Помоги мне! Помоги мне!
В городе пахнет только тобою
Ðиз живота наполнÑет любовью
Море улыбок и море желаний
Времени нет и нет раÑÑтоÑний
Воздух вокруг ни на что не похожий
Ðет ни машин не Ñлучайных прохожих
ЕÑÑ‚ÑŒ только Ñ‚Ñ‹ и Ñ
no comment really film
It's awesome! It's a story about being young, love and happiness! It's about us!
i've never been to Russia, so maybe you can answer a question for me, why do Russians hate deaf people so much?
Another Russian movie, another one without any Russian subtitles for the deaf...
And if I were 100% honest, I'd admit I'm not deaf, but I am a learner, and I could use the subtitles too.
It's almost by accident that Americans subtitle and close caption everything imaginable...but its helped many thousands of people learn English.
"Year of Russian" Putin says, bleh...they still don't get it.
Great for all of you that could watch the film...wish I could join you.
Does anyone know where I can buy the Dvd with english subtitles?!
I really want to see it and its killing me b/c i can't find one with subs!!
Im learning russian but i still need alot of help!
Thanks in advanced
This movie truly expresses the feelings, emotions and important of all Love!!! WhooHoo go Russia!
This movie is awesome. I'm from Mongolia. So i know Russian language lil bit. hehe
Eto ocheni kruto!! Mne ocheni nravitsya eto kino
The best movie in the world!
Timati, Lesha, Artyr & Kostya are great actors!
About love & happiness & being young & Moscow!
My fave part was when Tima was singing to the pillow :)
ohh and Lesha Chadov issssss sooooooo beautiful <3
this movie is great) I'm very sorry I can't show it to my host parents here in America because I can't find it anywhere (I'm Russian myself). I already showed them Nightwatch and Daywatch))
P.S. I love you Lesha!!!))
Отправила пернвый поÑÑ‚, а он не опубликовалÑÑ. Пишу второй. Ðто Ñ, туриÑтока африканÑких Ñтран
ДрузьÑ, вот один из Ñ‚Ñ‹ÑвÑчи примеров, как надд пиÑать ЯÑно, лаконично, понÑнто. ПÑÑ‚ÑŒ Ñ Ð¸ÑŽÑом!
where can I find this movie with french subtitles plzzzz?????????