Simple Things
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Russia, 2007, 110 min Tragicomedy
Presented by Koktebel film company, with the support of Federal Agency of Culture and Cinematography
Director Alexei Popogrebsky
Screenplay Alexei Popogrebsky
Producer Roman Borisevich, Natalya Borisevich, Mikhail Kolodiazhnyi
Director of photography Pavel Kostomarov
Art Director Olga Osipova
Composer Dmitri Kathanov
Starring Sergei Puskepalis, Leonid Bronevoi, Svetlana Kamynina, Dinara Kutueva, Ivan Osipov, Malkhaz Zhvaniia, Ivan Shvedov, Luiza Markova, Liubov Makeeva
Awards: ‘Best Film' 18th Sochi Film Festival ‘Kinotavr'
‘Best Director' 18th Sochi Film Festival ‘Kinotavr'
‘Best Actor' 18th Sochi Film Festival ‘Kinotavr'
‘Best Supporting Actor' 18th Sochi Film Festival ‘Kinotavr'
A special prize of Russian Guild of Film Scholars and Critics 2007
‘Best Actor' Crystal Globe award at Karlovy Vary IFF 2007
‘Best Supporting Actor' at Karlovy Vary IFF 2007
FIPRESCI prize at Karlovy Vary IFF 2007
A special prize of ecumenical Jury at Karlovy Vary IFF 2007
‘Best Newcomer', Sergei Puskepalis, NIKA 2007
synopsis
A tender, subtle and nuanced portrayal of simple everyday life, ‘Simple Things' is the first solo work from one of the creators of ‘Roads to Koktebel'. The film swept the board of awards at Kinotavr 2007. Sergei Maslov is an anaesthesiologist who lives with his family in a communal apartment. In the hope of improving their material situation, he takes on a part-time position looking after an ageing actor, Vladimir Zhuravlev, who is now leading a solitary life and is forgotten by his audiences. Zhuravlev asks Sergei for an unusual favour, which puts the protagonist face to face with a complex moral dilemma.
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creators
Alexei Popogrebsky
Director, writer of screenplay
Alexei was born in 1972 to the family of the established scriptwriter, Peter Popogrebsky. He graduated from Moscow Sate University with a degree in psychology. His first cinematic project was a short film with Boris Khlebnikov. He began writing the script for the feature film ‘Roads to Koktebel' on his own, and was later joined by Khlebnikov. This film is one of the most successful debut works of the past years. It has won a number of prizes at the 25th Moscow IFF, and was honoured at other national and international festivals. Alexei's first solo project, ‘Simple Things' has proved to be as successful as his collaborative one. Both Popogrebsky and Khlebnikov continue to work independently, producing some of the most exciting and promising works.
Roman Borisevich
Producer
Born in 1975, Roman graduated with a degree in economics in 1997. He enrolled at another economics course, this time in VGIK (The All State Institute of Cinema). Since 1999, he has been working as an independent producer. His first project was the distribution company CineMax. In 2003 he started his own film company ‘Koktebel', which has produced all of Popogrebsky and Khlebnikov's feature films.
actors
Sergei Puskepalis (Sergei Maslov)
Born in 1966, Sergei graduated from Saratov Drama School. In 2001 he completed a course at Peter Famenko's studio and then worked as a theatre director in Saratov Youth Theatre. He currently holds a position as an artistic director of Magnistagorst theatre, where he has staged several critically acclaimed productions. Sergei's leading role in ‘Simple Things' came to him by chance. He was first spotted by Alexei Popograbsky when he brought his son, Gleb Puskepalis, for an audition. Gleb played the main part in Popograbsky's and Khlebnikov's acclaimed ‘Roads to Koktebel' (2003) and a few years later Sergei was invited to play the protagonist in Popogrebsky's first solo film ‘Simple Things'.
Leonid Bronevoi (Vladimir Zhuravlev)
Born in 1928, Leonid Bronevoi is one of the few actors who has been working for half a century and continues to do so today. In 1953 Leonid went to Moscow where he was auditioned by the famous actor Alexei Gribov and was accepted into the Acting School of the Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT), from which he graduated in 1955 as an actor. Leonid Bronevoi has appeared in over 50 roles, demonstrating his range and his multifaceted talent as a satirical, sarcastic, dramatic and even as a fine comic actor. His stage career spans almost 60 years and includes over 150 stage works in several theatre companies of the former Soviet Union. Bronevoi has been awarded the titles of Peoples Actor of the Soviet Union and Peoples Actor of the Russian Federation (the highest marks of national recognition).
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