Sergey Mikhalkov Russian outstanding poet, writer and journalist died at age 96. A man who could be called a person – epoch. Sergey Mikhalkhov was born in a noble family in Tsar ruled Russia. In 30s he became one of most popular Russian writer for kids. Sergey Mikhalkhov was an author of 2 Soviet and 1 Russian (current) anthems. He was a father of two leading film makers – Nikita Mikhalkov and Oscar-winning Andrei Konchalovsky. (You can read much more about Sergey Mikhalkov in my another article: Svet Sunday: Sergey Mikhalkov 95th Anniversary)
And now we will watch: 1) a short video from Russia Today about Sergey Mikhalkhov:
2) a video from Russian TV channel NTV where they tell about Sergey Mikhalkhov (in Russian):
3) a movie made by Nikita Mikhalkov about Sergey Mikhalkov with simple name “Father” (Отец). This movie is in Russian but it worth be watched any case.
That sounds incredible but we all: my Mom, me, and my son were brought up on his books… And now it’s such strange feeling…
International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS 2009 opened today. Visitors watched magnificent performance in the sky… But today I want to show you what they did not watch: The aerobatic group Russian Knights whose commander colonel Igor Tkachenko was killed 16th of August when two Su-27 fighters collided during a training flight before the opening of the MAKS 2009 Air Show.
Today we are watching a video In Memory of Igor Tkachenko:
We will remember you, Igor! Russian Video from Russia Svet and Kyle
Blockade – the name of the movie made by Sergei Loznitsa. No name of war no name of city what was blockaded. No music, no words or subtitles – just some sounds sometimes. Black and white documentary chronicles – they show ordinary days of the dieing city.
This film was dedicated to the Day of the blockade of Leningrad. The premiere took place in St. Petersburg at the International Festival of documentary, animation and short film “Message to man”.
There are one director of movie, 40 operators and 2 and a half million characters. in this movie… According to statistics, there were 2 992 000 people in 1941 lived in Leningrad and there were just half of million people by 1944.
Awards of the movie Blockade:
Jury Award International Film Festival ‘Stalker’ in Moskau, Russia, 2005
Critics Prix International Film Festival ‘Stalker’ in Moskau, Russia, 2005
“White Elefant” National cinemacritics prix for best documentary film, Russia, 2005
Best Documentary 2005 National academy prix ‘NIKA’ for best documentary film, Russia, 2005
Grand Prix International Film Festival ‘Kontakt’ in Kiew, Ukrain, 2005
Second Prix International Film Festival Madrid, Spain, 2006
St. Petersburg’s Government prix for 2005
Grand Prix ‘Gold Dragon’ International Krakow Short Film Festival, Poland, 2006
Best Documentary Film from archive Jerusalem International Film Festival, Israel, 2006
Jury Avard International Film Festival ‘Message to man’ St.Petersburg, Russia, 2006
Grand Prix for Best Dokumentary Film Film Festival Viborg, Russia, 2006
Best Documentary Film Open Documentary Film Festival ‘Russia’ , Ekaterinburg, Russia, 2006
Best Documentary ‘Golden laurel’ National documentary film prix, Russia, 2006
Arie&Bozena Zweig Innovation Award Chicago International Documentary Festival, 2007
Russian Video from Russia Svet and Kyle
PS Blockade – the name of the movie made by Sergei Loznitsa. No name of war no name of city what was blockaded. Of course, we all know this movie is about Seige of Leningrad.
After the premiere of “Blockade” at the Rotterdam Film Festival the audience was stunned and did not want to leave the room. ‘Did you know, – an old Dutchman asked Sergey Loznica – that you told the story not only of Leningrad but Rotterdam also? Our city was destroyed, but, unfortunately, there were no operators, who could capture this tragedy.”
Legendary Russian singer, Lyudmila Zykina, has died of a heart attack on July 1. She was 80-years-old.
She was often referred to as ‘Miss Volga’ in America, and none other than ‘the Russian Edith Piaf’ in France. The Russian singer brought her authentic style of music wherever she performed, winning the hearts of Charles Aznavour, Frank Sinatra and Charlie Chaplin, while The Beatles even suggested recording an album with Zykina. (Read more: Russia Today)
Ludmila Zykina was pretty active in her 80, recently she was singing in Eurovision (Russian Video: Ludmila Zykina 80 Birthday). He had great plans to go on a grandiose concert tour that would last for two months and cover more than 20 major Russian cities. But it did not happened. But big beautiful life happened.
THANK YOU LUDMILA GEORGIEVNA ZYKINA! REST IN PEACE!
Today I’ll show you one of the most beautiful videos and we will listen to one of her best songs.
Течет река Волга (The river Volga flows)
Издалека долго течет река Волга, Течет река Волга, конца и края нет Среди хлебов спелых, среди снегов белых Течет моя Волга ,а мне семнадцать лет.
Сказала мать :”Бывает все, сынок. Быть может, ты устанешь от дорог, Когда придешь домой в конце пути, Свои ладони в Волгу опусти”.
Издалека долго течет река Волга, Течет река Волга, конца и края нет. Среди хлебов спелых, среди снегов белых Течет моя Волга, а мне уж тридцать лет.
Твой первый взгляд, твой первый плеск весла- Все было ,только речка унесла. Я не грущу о той весне былой, Взамен ее твоя любовь со мной.
Издалека долго течет река Волга, Течет река Волга, конца и края нет. Среди хлебов спелых, среди снегов белых Гляжу в тебя, Волга, седьмой десяток лет.
Здесь мой причал и здесь мои друзья – Все ,без чего на свете жить нельзя. С далеких плесов в звездной тишине Другой мальчишка подпевает мне.
Издалека долго течет река Волга, Течет река Волга, конца и края нет. Среди хлебов спелых, среди снегов белых Течет моя Волга, а мне семнадцать лет, А мне семнадцать лет .
From far away The river Volga long flows, The river Volga flows, And there is no end to it. Among ripe crops, among white snows my Volga flows, And I am seventeen.
My Mother has told me, Anything can happen, son. You could get tired of traveling the roads. When you come home at the end of the path, Dip your hands into Volga “.
From far away The river Volga long flows, The river Volga flows, And there is no end to it. Among ripe crops, among white snows my Volga flows, And I am thirty already. That first look and that First splash of a paddle – All that has happened, but the river carried it away. I do not long for that past spring, I have your love with me instead.
Among ripe crops, among white snows I have been looking at you, Volga, For seventy years. This is my harbor, all of my friends are here, Everything one cant live without. From distant reaches of the river in star silence Another boy sings along with me.
From far away The river Volga long flows, The river Volga flows, And there is no end to it. Among ripe crops, among white snows my Volga flows, And I am seventeen, and I am seventeen, and I am seventeen.
Yesterday we watched a beautiful video of “Scarlet Sails – 2009” – festival for pupils who just finished school in St. Petersburg… These pupils just finished school and all beautiful and exciting life is ahead of them.
The 22nd of June, 1941 – we had a lot of the same festivals all over Soviet Union and boys and girls who yesterday were at school desks were the same excited about their future life… But Tomorrow Was The War!
Today we remember about all these pupils who lost their hopes and lives… Today we remember The Great Patriotic War (WWII).
I’ll show you a very beautiful video today. That is a sand animation by Ksenia Simonova… that was first showed a couple weeks ago at Ukrainian show Україна має талант (Ukraine has talent). Yes, it has.. my opinion. But let’s watch:
All TV-channels in Russia show us a lot of movies about the Great Patriotic War (that’s how we call WWII) at the 9th of May (Victory Day).
Today we will watch one of classic Russian movies about the Great Patriotic War: The dawns here are quiet (А зори здесь тихие), 1972. Movie was directed by Stanislav Rostotsky based on Boris Vasilyev’s novel of the same name This film was nominated for an Oscar as “Best Foreign Film” in 1973.
The region was Karelia, Russia in 1942 during WWII. The scene begins in a railway station far from the front line, senior sergeant Vaskov is stationed with a group of young female (yes, female!) who are anti-aircraft gunners. Vaskov is not used to these “gunners”. They are active and playful personalities. Therefore he has clashes with the gunners over daily issues. But Vaskov, being the only man in the village, has to accommodate, no matter what the situation.
One day, two German paratroopers appear in the forest near their garrison….
You must watch to find out if female gunners saved the day:
Maybe after watching this movie you understand these words from one of the most powerful Russian song “Victory Day”: This is joy with tears in our eyes…
But such movies must be watched … because Nobody is forgotten and nothing is forgotten!
The outstanding Russian ballerina Ekaterina Maksimova died at 70… You know I found hundreds of videos with Ekaterina Maximova but today I want to show you a video where Ekaterina Maximova and her (future) husband Vladimir Vasiliev are just kids – kids in ballet school and everything is ahead, everything is still in future!
E. Maximova and V.Vasiliev are so young and so nice (1953)
23 years ago on April 26, 1986 the reactor number four at the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl suffered an unstoppable chain reaction, causing the worst man-made disaster in history.
Today we are watching The Pripyat: Ghost City Chronicles.
If previous video is too long and boring for you, watch this short one and feel what we are feeling about Chernobyl disaster:
We mark the 20th anniversary of Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan… Nothing to celebrate: 15 000 killed of Soviet soldiers and over 1 million Afghanis. Bloody war, terrible mistake…
