Archive of films Simple Things / Prostyje vešči

Russia
2006, 108 min

Section: Official Selection - Competition
Year: 2007

Anaesthetist Sergei Maslov is badly paid. He shares a flat with a Georgian driver and an old woman. His daughter has run away from home. For these and other reasons, he welcomes a job looking after an aging actor. But his problems don’t just disappear, they get worse; yet life goes on and there’s no opportunity in it for renunciation or deception...


Synopsis

Sergei Maslov is a badly paid hospital anaesthetist. He is being worn down by his wretched accommodation which he shares with a Georgian driver and an infirm old woman. To make matters worse, he loses his driving licence and has to cope suddenly with his daughter leaving home. He is only slightly placated by the income he gets for caring privately for an aging actor. Having only just gained his trust, his famous patient starts overburdening him with his senile whims. Maslov is concerned about his daughter’s future. The crisis comes to a head when the actor makes him an enticing offer. He intends bequeathing to him a valuable painting. A great deal of time passes before Maslov realises the significance of the “uneasy lightness of being”... This essentially optimistic story highlights the bleak side of the daily life of ordinary people, in particular, their ability to adapt themselves when faced with unpleasant dilemmas.

About the director

Alexei Popogrebsky

Alexey Popogrebsky (b. 1972) studied psychology at Moscow State University; during his studies, he teamed up with Boris Khlebnikov to make the short film Passing By (Mimokhod, 1994). A few years later they both debuted with the original film Koktebel (2003), which won the Silver St George award at the Moscow IFF and the Philip Morris Award Jury Prize at the Karlovy Vary IFF in 2003 (section East of the West), and was screened to critical acclaim at numerous other international festivals. He completed his independent debut Simple Things in 2006.

Contacts

Koktebel Film Company
Druzhinnikovskaya 15, Film Center, 123242, Moscow
Russia
Tel: +7 495 984 2098, +79 268 210 812
Fax: +7 495 708 8051
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.koktebelfilm.ru

About the film

Color, 35 mm
International premiere

Section: Official Selection - Competition
   
Director: Alexei Popogrebsky
Screenplay: Alexej Popogrebskij / Alexey Popogrebsky
Dir. of Photography: Pavel Kostomarov
Music: Dmitrij Katanov / Dmitriy Kathanov
Editor: Ivan Lebeděv / Ivan Lebedev
Producer: Roman Borisevič / Roman Borisevich
Production: Koktebel Film Company
Cast: Sergej Puskepalis / Sergey Puskepalis, Leonid Broněvoj / Leonid Bronevoy, Světlana Kaminina / Svetlana Kaminina
Contact: Koktebel Film Company
   
www: www.koktebel.cinemax.ru

Guests

Roman Borisevich

Producer, Producer

Alexei Popogrebsky

Film Director, Film Director


Natalia Borisevich

Producer, Producer

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