Winter with all the holidays during this time of the year is very important part in lives of all Russian people. So no wonder that Russian cinematograph has created so many good movies dedicated to this period. Today we'll tell you about the best examples. Some of them are about New Year, some about Christmas, some are just classical fairy tales in winter decorations. But all these films create good and warm mood in every snowy and frosty day.
Ironiya Sudby ili s Legkim Parom (The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!) is a cult Soviet comedy-drama film directed by Eldar Ryazanov and based on his play "Odnazhdy v Novogodnyuyu Noch" (Once on New Year's Eve"). It is a traditional New Year movie, which is viewed by Russians every year during winter holidays. By its popularity, it can be compared with the American film It’s a Wonderful Life.
It is an unhurried romantic comedy, which looks more like theatrical play screened for TV. Great actors, interesting plot twists, notes of sadness and loneliness and unique atmosphere of holiday create wonderful movie, which is interesting to watch for many many times and which is as necessary for Russian New Year and Christmas, as Christmas tree or champagne.
Karnavalnaya Noch (The Carnival Night) is a 1956 Soviet musical film, the first big-screen film of the great Russian film director Eldar Ryazanov. The main role in this film made Lyudmila Gurchenko one of the most well-known actresses on the Soviet scene.
Members of the Economics Institute prepares for the New Year entartainment program, which includes a lot of funny performances, singing and dancing. Suddenly, a new director arrives and disapproves the scheduled entertainment, as he wants to make it more serious, something with annual reports and long speeches. Obviously, nobody agree with his plans, so the fight for the merry New Year is started.
Charodei (Magicians) is a 1982 Soviet film directed by Konstantin Bromberg, loosely based on the science fantasy novel Monday Begins on Saturday by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky. It is one of classic Soviet New Year's Eve romantic comedies, such as Irony of Fate and The Carnival Night.
Sirota Kazanskaya (Kazan Orphan) is a lyrical New Year comedy. Village teacher Nastya decides to find her father, who she knows nothing about. She sends a letter in the newspaper. On December 31, three different men come to her house, each of them is absolutely sure that he is real father of Nastya.
Dzhentelmeny Udachi (Gentlemen Of Fortune) is a classical Soviet comedy, not related to winter holidays very closely, but still it is a necessary part of Russian New Year TV-programme.
The movie follows the story of an amiable kindergarten director named Troshkin who looks exactly like a criminal called Docent, who has stolen Alexander the Great's helmet at an archaeological excavation. Docent and his gang are caught by police, but Docent is imprisoned in a different jail than his mates. Since Troshkin looks identical to Docent, the police send him undercover to prison with the real criminals to get information about the stolen helmet.
Eta Vesyolaya Planeta (This Funny Planet) is a fantastic musical comedy, which tells about aliens who came to the Earth on New Year's night and find themselves at the merry party. As everybody around in carnival costumes, aliens are considered as normal people.
Prikhodi na Menya Posmotret (Come to Look at Me)
Lyrical and touching story about a spinster woman, who tends her disabled mother. The old lady desperately wants her daughter to marry, and the daughter, driven by the supposed imminent death of her mother, invites a total stranger home on the New Year's night and introduces him as her boyfriend.
The best choice for those who want to watch a romantic holiday film, but just can't see "The Irony of Fate" on the screen anymore.
Morozko ("Father Frost")
This beautifully costumed film for children is based on a popular Russian fairy tale. The film's director is Alexander Row, who pioneered the genre of a fairy-tale screen adaptation. Even Steven Spilberg paid tribute to Row's enchanting fairy tales.
The story tells about a kind girl Nastenka who works very hard and suffers from her stepmother. One day the cruel woman decided to get rid of her stepdaughter by sending her to a winter forest for her to freeze to death there. Luckily, Nastenka is saved by the Father Frost, but this is only the beginning of her adventures.
Stary Novy God (The Old New Year)
Two families move into the new house and become neighbours. One family is from cerebral society, the other is from
working class. In the unique Russian holiday "The Old New Year" (January 13) heads of the both families
decide to change their lives cardinally.
This is a very significant movie, as it tells about such a unique Russian tradition as celebrating New Year according to old calendary. Besides, it is a good material on psychology of Russian people, their interesting view of the world. And it is just a great comedy.
Snezhnaya Koroleva (The Snow Queen)
The film is based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the original script is written by the Russian well-known writer Yevgheny Schwartz.
It is a story about little, but kind and brave girl Gerda, who goes to a wonderful and dangerous journey to find her friend, Kai, who was kidnapped by a powerful wicked fairy, the Snow Queen, and taken to her kingdom.
This film looks really great even in our times, as it's made with great attention to the characters of the original fairy-tale. There are a lot of complicated filming tricks, the best actors and wonderful decorations. And it's just a a touching story of great love and fiendship.
Vechera na Khutore Bliz Dikanki (Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka Village)
The film is based on the story "Christmas Eve" by Russian and Ukranian writer Nikolai Gogol. The film's director and scriptwriter is Alexander Row (Morozko). This story is an unique combination of old Russian and Ukranian traditions, legends and myths. It has wonderful atmosphere of winter Christmas nights in Slavic villages and stories which are often told on these nights.
The action takes place both in a village of Dikanka in the Ukraine and at the palace of a Russian Empress. Blacksmith Vacula loves a haughty girl Oksana, who demands for a Christmas present a pair of tcherevichki (shoes) that the Empress wears. Only then she will agree to marry Vacula. Devil promises to help Vacula if on condition that the blacksmith sells him his soul. But Vacula was no fool.
Snegurochka (Snow Maiden)
A classical fairy tale film based on the play of the same name by Ostrovsky from his cicle "Spring Tales". This film is probably closer to ancient Slavic and pagan traditions than all the other films. It is highly recommended to those who are interested in Russian ancient legends and those who just want to watch a film about a strange girl and an unusual love mixed with mysticism.
Snegurochka suddenly appears in some Russian village, people say she is a daughter of Father Frost and Spring. The girl is so beautiful that many young men fell in love with her, but she is also cold and indifferent, which brings some love tragedies to the calm village. Trying to find feelings, Snegurochka comes to Mother Spring.
