The instrument that conquered Russia — and the ego that nearly destroyed it.
A film based on the biography of the famous Russian balalaika player Vasili Vasilevich Andreev (1867-1918), a self-taught virtuoso musician, who brought balalaika to the concert stage.
Acting
Galibin's Andreev: magnificent, insufferable, unforgettable.
Score
Actual balalaika performances, no overdubs.
Production
Lavish Imperial Russia sets on Soviet budget.
Director
Oleg Dashkevich
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Galibin spent six months learning balalaika; the performance scenes are actually him playing. The real Andreev's descendants initially refused to cooperate, calling the script 'too honest' about his cruelty.
Released during perestroika, this was among the first Soviet biopics to show a 'people's hero' as deeply flawed — a subtle commentary on the collapsing cult of personality around Soviet leaders themselves.
SU
