10 best Russian films of 2021 worth seeing

10. The sea is worried

• Russia, 2021.
• Drama.
• Duration: 124 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 5.8.

Young lovers Sasha and Kolya run away to an abandoned house in the mountains of the Krasnodar Territory. In seclusion, the couple tries to mend their relationship, but the girl is constantly tormented nightmares. Soon the heroes meet the inhabitants of a neighboring house. These are mature spouses who surprisingly resemble Sasha and Kolya themselves in the future.

In recent years, Nikolai Khomeriki has been filming mass films: Selfie with Konstantin Khabensky, the Icebreaker disaster. But "The Sea is Worried Once" can be considered his return to more personal author's works. It's a simple relationship story with a small cast. By the way, Olga Bodrova, the daughter of Sergei Bodrov, Jr., made her debut in one of the main roles.

The picture received the main prize of "Kinotavr". This decision of the jury was considered by many to be unreasonable: according to critics, stronger works also participated in the program. Which, of course, does not make the tape "The Sea Worries Once" worse.

9. Gerda

• Russia, 2021.
• Drama.
• Duration: 116 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 6.1.

Lera, a student, studies at the Faculty of Sociology and, as a practice, walks with surveys from apartment to apartment. And at night she dances in a strip club to earn money for herself and her sick mother. The girl does not understand at all where she wants to move on. But gradually he notices that everyone around him is just as lost.

Director Natalya Kudryashova released her debut work Pioneer Heroes back in 2015 and returned to feature films only in 2021. Dark drama "Gerda" combines poignant social themes, personal tragedy, and even movie-like arthouse Lars von Trier.

For greater realism, the author took real questions that are asked to citizens during such rounds. And the main role was called by a model with no experience in cinema - Anastasia Krasovskaya.

8. Ichchi

• Russia, 2021.
• Horror, thriller.
• Duration: 87 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 6.1.

Timir with his wife and son returns to their home in the Yakut wilderness to persuade their relatives to sell the plot. The thing is that he got into debt and is now looking for where to get money. But soon a more serious problem is added to the disputes with his father: it seems that these parts are in the grip of terrible ghosts.

Surprisingly, in recent years, more and more popularity is gaining Yakut cinema, which combines folklore elements and themes understandable to everyone. Following the example of his colleagues, director Kostas Marsaan mixed the typical dramatic horror plot with local beliefs. The result is a very unusual scary movie.

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7. Case

• Russia, 2021.
• Drama.
• Duration: 106 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 6.3.

Professor David Guramovich, who specializes in the literature of the Silver Age, comes into conflict with the mayor of a provincial town. He accuses the official of stealing a large sum. But as a result, Guramovich himself is put under house arrest, allegedly for embezzlement.

During the pandemic, which interrupted work on the large-scale film "Air", Alexei German Jr. decided to switch to a more intimate film, in which literally a dozen actors played. As a result, he got a very relevant tape about the fate of a principled intellectual.

"Case" participated in the "Un Certain Regard" program in Cannes, and then got into the "Horizons" section of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

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6. North wind

• Russia, 2021.
• Drama.
• Duration: 122 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 6.5.

Once upon a time, matriarchy reigned on the territory of the Northern Fields. But the happy life ended after the death of the bride of the main heir of the clan. He married the sister of the deceased, which led to many conflicts.

Renata Litvinova has released a feature film after almost a decade. For her new work, she personally wrote the script, she herself produced the picture and traditionally played the main role. And the soundtrack was completely created by Zemfira Ramazanova.

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5. hostel

• Russia, 2021.
• Drama.
• Duration: 122 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 6.7.

Freshman Zabela lives in a student residence in the mid-1980s. Together with his neighbors, he learns the joys and difficulties of growing up and is looking for his own path. But everything changes when one of the students commits suicide. Zabela and his friends are accused of unwitting complicity in a crime.

Books by Alexei Ivanov are increasingly transferred to the screens. So, in 2013, the painting “The Geographer Drank His Globe Away” was released based on the work of the same name. And in 2021, the series “Food unit"And the film" Hostel.

The latter staged the famous Roman Vasyanov based on the novel Dormitory-on-the-Blood. He has been working as a cinematographer in Hollywood for several years and has directed, for example, "Fury" and "Suicide Squad". But Vasyanov's directorial debut took place in Russia.

4. Unclenching fists

• Russia, 2021.
• Drama.
• Duration: 97 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 6.9.

Silent Ada lives with her relatives in North Ossetia. She works in a small shop, modestly responds to the courtship of a peer and dreams of the return of her older brother. The thing is that he promised to release Ada from her father's custody and take her away for the necessary treatment.

Kira Kovalenko, a student of Alexander Sokurov, grew up in the Caucasus herself. Therefore, she decided to make the film as naturalistic as possible in order to convey all the difficulties of life and relationships in local families.

picture warmly received at the Cannes Film Festival, and she even received the main prize in the Un Certain Regard program.

3. Petrovs in the flu

• Russia, France, Switzerland, Germany, 2021.
• Drama.
• Duration: 145 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 6.9.

Locksmith Petrov draws comics in his spare time, his wife works in the library. On New Year's Eve, all of them, along with their son, get the flu. Reality, fantasies of heroes and memories from the past are mixed in delirium.

One of the most talked about Russian directors, Kirill Serebrennikov, filmed the complex multi-layered novel by Alexei Salnikov, The Petrovs in the Flu and Around It. Scenes from typical Russian and Soviet life are mixed here with mythology and almost insane art-house inserts.

Wherein painting skillfully placed. It is enough to watch a long scene with Ivan Dorn, filmed in one frame without editing. Or the part about the heroine Marina, in which the Soviet entourage was painstakingly restored.

2. red ghost

• Russia, 2021.
• Thriller, military.
• Duration: 98 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.1.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, a group of Soviet soldiers leaves the encirclement near Vyazma. They stop at an abandoned village, but a German detachment arrives there as well. The invaders are looking for an elusive soldier, nicknamed the Red Ghost, who single-handedly destroys the enemy.

The picture of Andrei Bogatyrev does not claim to be historically accurate. But she adds to the classic military drama a dynamic thriller in the spirit of Tarantino or Guy Ritchie. Although the basis remains the same heroic struggle against the invaders.

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1. Major Grom: Plague Doctor

• Russia, 2021.
• Action, crime, comedy.
• Duration: 136 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.2.

Major Igor Grom from the alternative St. Petersburg does not get along very well with his superiors and often violates orders. However, he knows how to solve the most difficult cases. But faced with a mysterious avenger, even a tough hero is lost. After all, he kills only villains, which wins the love of ordinary people.

This picture is based on the comic book series of the same name by the Russian studio Bubble. Back in 2017, the short film "Major Grom" was released, which instantly captivated the audience. Then a full meter was launched into development. True, in the process they had to change the lead actor: instead of Alexander Gorbatov, they took Tikhon Zhiznevsky.

«Major Grom: Plague Doctorturned out to be far from ideal and even controversial. But for the first time in Russian cinematography, a full-fledged and not shameful comic book film appeared, and even with its own fan base. And when the picture was released on Netflix, the Western audience also appreciated it: Major Grom entered the lists of the most popular releases in dozens of countries.

And what Russian films of 2021 do you remember? Tell in the comments.

Alexey Khromov