Like Russian literature, Russian cinema is enormously rich. What are the Eisensteins and Tarkovsky’s of our time? Check out below!
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.
- New Russian movies in 2018
- Best Russian movies of 2017
- 2010-2018: Must-watch Russian movies on Netflix or DVD
New Russian movies in 2018
Top movies up for release in 2018Dovlatov
DIRECTOR: Aleksey German CAST: Artur Beschastny, Danila Kozlovsky, Milan Maric
Sergei Dovlatov (1941-1990) is easily one of the most-read Russian writers from the 20th century. While his literary friends got crushed by the Soviet government one by one, Dovlatov persisted in what he did best; writing without taboos. 'Dovlatov' focusses on six crucial days from his turbulent life. Read more
RATING: 82/100
Netflix | 
Amazon | All Release dates Dau
DIRECTOR: Ilya Khrzhanovskiy CAST: Teodor Currentzis, Youriy Alekseev, Radmila Shchyogoleva
Not much is known about 'Dau', an upcoming about the renowned Russian scientist/physician Lev Landau. Directed by Ilya Khrzhanovskiy, who shot the controversial and acclaimed movie '4' back in 2004. Read more
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Il Peccato
DIRECTOR: Andrey Konchalovskiy CAST: Umberto Orsini, Nicola Adobati, Alberto Testone
The great Russian director Andrey Konchalovskiy (who once wrote scripts for Tarkovsky's before he became a filmmaker in his own right) turned to Italy for this upcoming biopic about sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti. Read more Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
Netflix 
Amazon Best Russian movies of 2017
Top rated 2017 Russian moviesGuardians
DIRECTOR: Sarik Andreasyan CAST: Valeriya Shkirando Alina 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
RATING: 77/100
RELEASE DATE: February 23rd, 2017
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Loveless
DIRECTOR: Andrey Zvyagintsev CAST:
When a couple is going through a divorce, things change when they have to work together to find their missing 12-year old son. A beautiful and painful portrait of a modern Russian marriage falling apart. Read more
RATING: 90/100
RELEASE DATE: May 18th, 2017
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Best Russian movies on Netflix or DVD in 2018
2010's best rated Russian movies out on DVD, Bluray or streaming on VOD (Netflix, Amazon).The Student ((M)uchenik)
DIRECTOR: Kirill Serebrennikov CAST: Yuliya Aug Viktoriya 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
RATING: 84/100
RELEASE DATE: May 13th, 2016
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Leviathan
DIRECTOR: Andrey Zvyagintsev CAST: Aleksey Serebryakov Elena 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
RATING: 76/100
RELEASE DATE: August 29th, 2014
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Elena
DIRECTOR: Andrey Zvyagintsev CAST: Nadezhda Markina Andrey 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
RATING: 73/100
RELEASE DATE: January 21st, 2012
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates The Student ((M)uchenik)
DIRECTOR: Kirill Serebrennikov CAST: Yuliya Aug Pyotr 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
RATING: 72/100
RELEASE DATE: May 13th, 2016
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates How I Ended This Summer
DIRECTOR: Aleksey Popogrebskiy CAST: Grigoriy Dobrygin Sergey 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
RATING: 70/100
RELEASE DATE: January 28th, 2011
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Hard to be a God
DIRECTOR: Aleksey German CAST: Leonid Yarmolnik Aleksandr 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
RATING: 67/100
RELEASE DATE: May 16th, 2014
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Everyone Dies But Me
DIRECTOR: Valeriya Gay Germanika CAST: Polina Filonenko Agniya 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
RATING: 66/100
RELEASE DATE: October 23rd, 2008
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