Moskal-Charivnyk | |
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Directed by | Mykola Zasieyev-Rudenko |
Written by | Mykola Zasieyev-Rudenko |
Starring | Ruslana Pysanka Oleksandr Bodnarenko Bohdan Beniuk Kostiantyn Shaforenko |
Production company | |
Release date |
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Running time | 77 minutes |
Country | Ukraine |
Languages | Ukrainian, Russian |
Moskal-Charivnyk (Ukrainian: Москаль-Чарівник, Muscovite Wizard), is a 1995 musical comedy by the Ukrainian filmmaker Mykola Zasieyev-Rudenko based on the book by Ukrainian writer Ivan Kotliarevskyi. The film features a detailed portrayal of Ukrainian culture, showing the beauty of Ukrainian traditions, music, costumes, and language.
Plot
[edit]The story takes place in Ukraine at the start of 19th century. It shows how a local scribe, Fintyk, tries to seduce a female farmer, Tetyana, whose husband, Mykhailo, as a chumak left for Crimea for nine weeks to bring salt. A Russian army soldier came over and asked for a stay. All Russian soldiers did not speak Ukrainian; in Ukraine they were called moskali (moskal – singular) hence the name of the movie. The young lady tries to cover up her out-of-marriage relationship and lets the soldier to stay for rest. When Mykhailo arrives soon thereafter she hides the scribe. Moskal knew that something is going on between Tetyana and Fintyk yet he finds a common ground with his hostess. They agreed to get rid of the scribe yet not to spoil her marriage. Then there are few scenes that reflect the peculiar inter-ethnic relationship between Ukrainians and Russians in face of the soldier. By the end of the movie the soldier finally pulls the scribe out of a hiding place while Mykhailo is blacking out whether out of a liquor or being shocked realizing the situation. In the last scene everybody explains to Mykhailo what have really happened and why. The husband gets really mad and has an intent to kill everybody, but moskal steps in just in time to defuse the situation.
Cast
[edit]- Tetyana (wife) – Ruslana Pysanka
- Mykhailo (husband) – Oleksandr Bodnarenko
- Moskal – Bohdan Beniuk
- Fintyk – Kostiantyn Shaforenko
- Georgy Drozd
Awards
[edit]- 1996 — Audience Choice Award "Crystal Angel" IFF in Slavutych, Ukraine;
- 1996 — Second prize of the festival and the prize of spectator sympathies of the IFF in Gatchina, Russia;
- 1997 — Prize "For the funniest film" of the Yalta IFF, Ukraine.
External links
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