Mathematician, writer and director Roman Mikhailov will become a pioneer in obtaining a rental certificate for a week

In his film “Let’s Go with You to Macau”, officials were afraid of what Pushkin and Dostoevsky wrote about – the passion for gambling

The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, judging by incoming information, is ready to refuse to issue a distribution certificate for Roman Mikhailov’s film “Let’s Go with You to Macau.” It is currently being tested for promoting gambling.

However, the rental certificate will be valid for the duration of the 2nd Open Russian Film Festival “Winter”, where the premiere screening is scheduled for December 4. The painting by Roman Mikhailov is one of eight entered into the competition. A year ago, it was at the Winter Theater that the premiere of the Yakut film “Aita” took place, which received prizes for directing and best actor, which did not prevent it from later being deprived of its distribution certificate. Even the intercession of the head of the Republic of Sakha did not help.

In the case of “Aita,” one of the officials dreamed of almost inciting national hatred. They were offended by the Russian policeman living among the indigenous Yakut population. The absurdity of the accusations has not yet been removed, although Vladimir Tolstoy, the presidential adviser on cultural issues, has clearly spoken out on this topic.

So “Winter”, which is under the tutelage of the Ministry of Culture, becomes its own target. According to a press release sent out by the festival, in Roman Mikhailov’s new film, Let’s Go with You to Macau, “the author explores the problem of poker addiction and its impact on the lives of two close people – father and son.” The hero of the film was a poker player with progressive gambling addiction. He introduces his adult son, already a student, to the world of underground casinos and introduces him to his passion. This became the reason for Roskomnadzor to accuse the authors of the film of “promoting gambling.”

Experts advise vigilant officials to check Dostoevsky’s “The Gambler” and Pushkin’s “Queen of Spades” on this score.

There is a video circulating online of a fragment that was not included in the final version of the film, where Mikhailov’s hero, who ended up in a mental hospital, persistently persuades the medical staff to fulfill the wish of one of the patients. And he just asks to bring him coffee. Doctors or nurses will fulfill your wishes. Moral – you can always reach an agreement on a human basis.

Roman Mikhailov is a graduate of the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of Moscow State University, a scientist who studied homological and homotopy algebra, the theory of group rings and categories. Last year he completed his scientific career. Roman writes books, plays, scripts. He is the winner of the Andrei Bely Prize for his novel “Wait for Summer and See What Happens.” His “Tale of the Last Angel” was staged at the Theater of Nations by Andrei Moguchiy. The performance received the Golden Mask. RAMT is showing “Dreams of My Father” based on the stories of Roman Mikhailov and directed by Egor Peregudov. Roman himself staged the play “None of This Will Happen” at the Bolshoi Drama Theater.

In 2022, he made his film debut with “A Tale for Old People,” which he filmed together with actor Fyodor Lavrov. As Roman says, he makes the poorest films. The newly minted film director learned everything on the set. The team worked for free, but, as Mikhailov says, they are one gang. Until now, his colleagues are ready to work for the idea in his unpredictable cinema.

Having seen “A Tale for Old People,” the audience became interested in whether the director had a criminal past, because otherwise, how would he know all the intricacies of the case. Then the film “Snow, Sister and Wolverine” came out about what a sect is. But here Roman Mikhailov’s personal religious experience came in handy. From the age of 12 to 24, he “traveled through communities,” lived in India, and “with such a background it was not so easy to enter the Russian Orthodox faith.” “It amazes me how someone can be persecuted for their faith, criminal cases can be opened for the fact that a person understands the Bible and the Gospel in his own way. This does not harm anyone, but people are enrolled in extremist organizations. I can only pray for them and for the state, so that it comes to its senses,” Roman said after the premiere.

His third film, “Vacation in October,” was shown at the festival in Vyborg in August 2023. In their free time from filming, filmmakers play in the 70s, watch a fragment of a Soviet film and reproduce it, immersing themselves in that era. The fourth film, “Inheritance,” is also in demand at festivals and again touches on the topic of religion.

Roman works like no one else, releasing film after film without government support, practically on his knees. He doesn’t even have investors. Everything is based on the love and friendship of his film gang. Roman has said more than once that to create a film you don’t need a lot of money or an influential producer. He continues to make independent films, which for the first time are faced with a serious problem – it may not reach the audience.