According to some Russia is returning to its Soviet ways. Putin’s foreign policy shocks and paralyzes Western politicians.Recently adopted laws silence dissenting voices within Russian borders (‘no more swearing everyone, and don’t dare being gay!’). Fortunately, it's cultural productions are nothing like it. Andrey Zvyagintsev breaks away from Russian films performing badly, and reminds us of Russia’ incredibly rich film history. Zvyagintsev is by no means a new face circulating the international film festival circuit, and seems to be the sole successor of Russian genius filmmakers like Tarkovsky and Eisenstein. Similarly innovative and eccentric, his films make up the majority of this list laying down the recent best Russian films up to 2016 & 2017. Because that is what this article is about, examining the very best Russian films of the last few years. It is about time to understand the country we seem unable to wrap our heads around. About time to understand a country that will be dictating much of what will be happening in the upcoming years.
| Russian movies | 2017 |
|---|---|
| Popular actors | Sharlto Copley, Haley Bennett & Danila Kozlovsky |
| Trending movies | Leviathan, Hardcore & Da i Da |
Anticipated 2017 Russian movies to watch
Guardians (Thursday February 23, 2017)
Director Sarik Andreasyan Cast Valeriya ShkirandoAlina Lanina
Anton Pampushnyy
During the Cold War, an organization called "Patriot" created a super-hero squad, which includes members of multiple soviet republics. For years, the heroes had to hide their identities, but in hard times they must show themselves again....Read more
Amazon Loveless (Thursday May 18, 2017)
Director Andrey Zvyagintsev Cast 
A couple going through a divorce must team up to find their son who has disappeared during one of their bitter arguments....Read more
Best Russian movies on Netflix or DVD in 2017 & 2016
2010's best rated Russian movies out on DVD, Bluray or streaming on VOD (Netflix, Amazon).The Student ((M)uchenik) (Friday May 13, 2016)
Director Kirill Serebrennikov Cast Yuliya AugViktoriya Isakova
Aleksandr Gorchilin
Veniamin is a Russian high school student obsessed by Christianity. In his attempt to persuade everyone around him of the omnipresent immorality, he becomes more and more alienated. Beautifully shot and wonderfully deap-pan acted by Pyotr Skvortsov....Read more
Leviathan (Friday August 29, 2014)
Director Andrey Zvyagintsev Cast Aleksey SerebryakovElena Lyadova
Roman Madyanov
Cannes is said to have been solid but somewhat dull this year. The same cannot be said of Leviathan that, although losing to Ceylan’s ‘Winter’s Sleep’, was one of the buzziest films of 2014. This exceptional film did walk away with the best screenplay award. Leviathan, Andrey Zvyagintsev, tells the gripping and sometimes even funny story of a man who is trying to fight the corrupt major of a small coastal town....Read more
Elena (Saturday January 21, 2012)
Director Andrey Zvyagintsev Cast Nadezhda MarkinaAndrey Smirnov
Aleksey Rozin
Elena, after the slightly disappointing The Banishment, reminded me that Zvyagintsev is my favorite contemporary Russian filmmaker. He again, impressively zooms in on individuality within family contexts, and how individual decisions affect all. His pure and simple filmmaking instantly feels majestic, and his films stay with you forever....Read more
The Student ((M)uchenik) (Friday May 13, 2016)
Director Kirill Serebrennikov Cast Yuliya AugPyotr Skvortsov
Viktoriya Isakova
Veniamin is a Russian high school student obsessed by Christianity. In his attempt to persuade everyone around him of the omnipresent immorality, he becomes more and more alienated. Beautifully shot and wonderfully deap-pan acted by Pyotr Skvortsov....Read more
How I Ended This Summer (Friday January 28, 2011)
Director Aleksey Popogrebskiy Cast Grigoriy DobryginSergey Puskepalis
Igor Chernevich
Like Zvyagintsev, Popogrepsky’s dramas do not require obscure symbolism, unlike most Russian art house films, to get its message across. Its simplicity and straightforwardness captures your attention in a most subtle way. Often described as somewhat of a thriller, this is more of a solid interpersonal drama that plays out suspense very well, and although it moves rather slowly, is never dull. It takes place in the middle of the Arctic and the two protagonists only have each other to turn to when realizing the fragility of humans when compared to nature. Great performance by the two actors who contribute immensely to making it a an emotionally gripping drama....Read more
Hard to be a God (Friday May 16, 2014)
Director Aleksey German Cast Leonid YarmolnikAleksandr Chutko
Yuriy Tsurilo
It is Hard to be a God’ is the last film by the late Aleksey German. Talented in achieving splendid surrealism but being anything but prolific, he spent the last 12 years of his life making this film. His 3-hour film based on the book by the Strugatsky brothers first opened at the Rome Film Festival in 2013, and it caused quite some waves. Stylistically it takes us back to the crispy black and white films with which Russia conquered the world, but it is not a historic tale. Some are even describing it as the most important science fiction film of this decade. Check out the estranging trailer of Hard to be a God with English subtitles online here....Read more
Everyone Dies But Me (Thursday October 23, 2008)
Director Valeriya Gay Germanika Cast Polina FilonenkoAgniya Kuznetsova
Olga Shuvalova
Everybody dies but me is one of those realist coming-of-agers that without ever becoming to forced, is successful in its emotionally charged narrative. It demonstrates the naive beauty of ever-lasting teenage friendships that once adolescence kicks in turn out to be anything but infinite. Valeriya Gay Germanika shows she has a background in documentary filmmaking, because her gritty naturalist films have a great observational quality about them. If you are into Lukas Moodysson films (like Fucking Amal or We are the best!), this might be your Russian alternative. It is not as good as a Moodysson, but it is worth your while. (like We are the best! it is about three girls in the suburbs – but now in Moscow)...Read more
- Best Russian TV Series out in 2017 on Netflix & on TV
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