Irina Pegova as Catherine II starred in a TV series about smallpox

The Empress begins vaccination

Irina Pegova again tried on a historical costume and this time she plays Catherine II. It must be admitted that the luxurious dress of the Empress suits her very well, and the creators of the new series with the main character seem to have made the right decision.

In addition to Irina, Filipp Yankovsky, Sergei Marin, Svetlana Smirnova-Katsagadzhieva, Yuri Kuznetsov and other actors were seen in the historical locations of Tsarskoye Selo. All of them are involved in the series about the first mass vaccination in Russia.

The events of the series take place in 1768. It was at that time that a smallpox epidemic was raging in Russia. The scale of the disaster reflects the eerie statistics that have remained since then, according to which every tenth inhabitant of the country died from the virus. There is a vaccine against the disease, but the level of public confidence in the achievements of medicine, to put it mildly, is low. Apparently, people need a vivid example that there is no need to be afraid of vaccines, and the Empress is ready to give it.

Catherine II vaccinates herself and Tsarevich Pavel and declares compulsory vaccination in the country. The scenery for such a decree at that time was not the most suitable. A wave of peasant revolts has swept across Russia, a war with Turkey is becoming more and more likely, the royal palace is traditionally teeming with intrigue. However, the empress and people loyal to her are going to vaccinate at any cost.

A dramatic stage in Russian history is being filmed under the direction of director Yegor Anashkin. For Yegor, this is far from the first historical project. The director filmed the TV series The Bloody Lady and Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes, and right now she is also working on a film biography of Fyodor Chaliapin.