Rereading the script, I felt shivers

In February, a new film by Sergei Ursulyak, The Righteous, will appear on Russian screens. Each picture of this director, who shot “Liquidation” and “Quiet Flows the Don”, “Life and Fate” and “Composition for Victory Day”, arouses keen interest of cinema fans.

The new film features a traditionally strong cast for Ursulyak’s projects. Starring Alexander Yatsenko, Fedor Dobronravov, Evgeny Tkachuk, Maria Zolotukhina, Konstantin Khabensky.

One of the central roles in the film – Reuben Yankel – was played by Sergei Makovetsky.

– This is an amazing story! And, to be honest, – says Sergey Makovetsky, – I did not know about it. When Gennady Ostrovsky’s script fell into my hands, I initially thought that he had come up with this story. And when I found out that it was based on real facts! .. Fantastic! 218 people, one and a half thousand kilometers, the Germans who are on their heels. Incredible! Rereading the script, I felt trembling, my heart sank.

The film is truly amazing. He tells about the unprecedented feat of a serviceman of our army, Nikolai Kiselev, who, in three months in 1942, managed to withdraw 218 Soviet Jews from the territory occupied by the Nazis to the front line, including children, the elderly and women. Five fighters, led by Kiselev, led out more than two hundred hungry, exhausted people, followed by the Nazis, for almost 1,500 kilometers. Exhausted by hunger and fear, people who lost their homes, loved ones, almost went crazy from the horror they experienced, thanks to Kiselev and his fighters, they gained hope and faith in the future.

Eighteen years ago, the Israeli International Institute for the Study of the Holocaust awarded Nikolai Kiselev the title of “Righteous Among the Nations”. His name is immortalized on the wall of honor in the Garden of the Righteous. The descendants of the rescued people come to Tel Aviv every year to pay tribute to the memory of the Soviet officer.

Sergei Ursulyak filmed his film a year and a half ago in Belarus, just where the described dramatic events actually unfolded. Filming also took place in Russia and Israel.

The script for the film was written by Gennady Ostrovsky, based on the true stories of the participants in the legendary transition and their loved ones.

— I would like, — director Sergei Ursulyak says, — that this film be seen by as many viewers as possible, because it returns us to the right feeling of ourselves, our homeland and our life. He gives the right guidelines, which is extremely important today.

According to the film’s producer Anton Zlatopolsky, this film stands apart from others and “it is able to awaken a sense of justice in the audience.” And Sergey Ursulyak, according to the producer, is a unique director who has a rare gift to touch the hearts of the audience.

– In “The Righteous”, – says Anton Zlatopolsky, – the director managed to combine the lofty, tragic, piercing with an invincible human smile. And all this is incredibly organic, it is impossible to tear yourself away from viewing. It seems to me that there is no such spectator who, having seen the picture, would not go to see it again, would not bring the whole family, would not recommend the film to friends.

Another producer of the film is Timur Weinstein, from whose meeting with documentary filmmaker Yakov Kaller, in fact, this project began.

“We met with him more than ten years ago,” says Timur Weinstein, “and Yakov Kaller showed his documentary Kiselyov’s List.” The film shocked me then, most of all I was surprised that few people know about this story. Of course, the very name “Kiselyov’s List” refers us to “Schindler’s List”. I want to believe that after the release of our picture on the screens, the name of Kiselev for many generations of Russians will become the same symbol of heroism and courage, as the name of Schindler for the whole world.

Elena Bulova.

Photos provided by the press secretary of the painting