A Soviet cameraman must shoot a rom-com to save his dead friend's masterpiece from the censors.
6.055 minSeason 1 • Episode 12
LatestThe series is set in 1961. Cameraman Viktor Khrustalyov is in a difficult situation; he is suspected of being involved in the death of his friend, talented screenwriter Kostya Parshin, who committed suicide during a drinking-bout. The authorities try to put Khrustalyov in prison by any means. Viktor needs to shoot the comedy "The Girl and the Brigadier" in order to get permission to make the film "Shards" after the wonderful scenario left from his deceased screenwriter friend. Young director Yegor Myachin wants to adаpt this screenplay. Khrustalyov arranges him as a trainee to the venerable director Krivitsky for a comedy. In the same film act Khrustalev's ex-wife Inga and his young sweetheart Maryana, with whom Yegor Myachin is also in love.
Production
Lavish period recreation of early '60s Moscow film culture.
Acting
Tsyganov's weary charm carrying every frame.
Writing
Meta-narrative about filmmaking under watchful eyes.
Creator
Valery Todorovsky
Evgeny Tsyganov
Viktor Khrustalyov
Aleksandr Yatsenko
Egor Myachin
Anna Chipovskaya
Maryana Pichugina
Viktoriya Isakova
Inga
Mikhail Efremov
Fyodor Krivitskiy
Yana Sekste
Lyusya Polynina
Pavel Derevyanko
Budnik
Svetlana Kolpakova
Nadya Krivitskaya
Andrey Smirnov
Khrustalyov Sr.
Nina Dvorzhetskaya
Regina Markovna
Viktor Horinyak
Ruslan
Anna Kotova
Lida
Paulina Andreeva
Dina
Vladimir Gostyukhin
Semyon Pronin
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The title refers to Khrushchev's Thaw, the brief post-Stalin liberalization when this story unfolds—making the characters' creative struggles literally named by history.
Director Valery Todorovsky's father Pyotr was a legendary Soviet filmmaker; this series is essentially filial therapy about the compromises his generation made.
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