"The Most Romantic Profession": spy detective drama "Russians" is released online

The Premier online cinema released the first episodes of an action-packed detective drama about the life of Russian illegal intelligence officers in the United States.

Spouses Georges and Catherine Gauthier (actually Anton Vyazin and Vera Sviblova) live in a quiet American suburb and successfully impersonate locals.

She is a photographer, she has her own studio, he is a financial analyst.

The couple have two children who cement their status as ordinary, unremarkable citizens.

However, after some events, Gautier finds himself in the center of attention of journalists.

The project was directed by Denis Neymand, who previously directed such series as Granite, Shugaley, and First Section.

The central roles were played by Pyotr Rykov, Ekaterina Molokhovskaya, Alexander Samoilenko, Anton Batyrev, Vladimir Litvinov and others.

The plot of the film is based on the story of SVR colonels Elena Vavilova and Andrey Bezrukov.

Since 2010, after the identities of illegal intelligence officers were declassified by the US government, the couple has been retired.

Since then, Vavilova has written and published two books, one of which was co-authored with her husband and colleague.

In addition, together with Andrei Bronnikov, she wrote the novel “A Woman Who Can Keep Secrets” based on real events.

The story of Vavilova and Bezrukov was previously shown in the TV series The Americans, however, as the intelligence officer noted, the Russian narrative is important in the Russians.

During a press conference dedicated to the premiere of the series, its authors said that the "Russians" are focused not only on the espionage activities of the characters: the tape primarily shows the relationship of the characters and the ordinary life that the spouses live.

• Shot from the series "Russians"

• © Premier Online Cinema

According to Vavilova, when working on the novel, she was guided by her own service experience.

For more than 20 years, the couple have been conducting intelligence activities in North America.

Through the prism of private life and sensations, the author wanted to reflect in the book the feelings and experiences experienced by professional intelligence officers.

“The main idea (books. -

) is to show a person in the profession.

Show that people who choose this profession serve their country, and the most important thing for them is to carry out their task responsibly.

Of course, I was based on our experience, because there was no other, but in general, both in the book and in the film - a collective image of an illegal intelligence officer who works in foreign countries under cover, ”said Elena Vavilova.

The main task of the picture is to enrich the Russian cinematographic space with stories about the heroes of our time.

As the director of the tape noted, the profession of an illegal intelligence officer is not easy.

Such people are characterized by complex inner worlds.

However, they are the same people as everyone else - it is from this angle that the narrative is built.

“Cinema, unfortunately, cannot convey the complex internal conflict world that boils in these people, which is constantly changing and in which they retain composure, being in such a situation for many years.

We rely (in the series. -

) on the fact that people are people: they love, believe or not believe, keep their word or betray ... They want the same thing that ordinary people do - love, live, work for their country, ” — said the director.

The main storyline didn't change.

At the same time, the authors of the project tried to expand and color the life of book characters with new twists.

According to Bezrukov, events unfold more dynamically in the series and there are moments in it with which he does not agree.

In general, the tape is only based on the life of a married couple.

However, according to Bezrukov, the value of the picture is that it is dedicated to all intelligence officers and reflects the history of his colleagues who serve, following the SVR motto "Without the right to glory, to the glory of the state." 

“There (in the series. -

) there are other aspects, a lot happens as if this routine is not really a routine ... I would like to emphasize that this is by and large not about Elena and me.

Yes, (the series was filmed. -

) based on, but it is dedicated to those of our colleagues whom, first of all, no one will ever recognize, who have worked longer than us and better than us, and are now working, ”said Bezrukov.

However, if not for the betrayal of a colleague, it is possible that the family lived under pseudonyms for many more years.

The struggle of the special services goes on all the time and, as Vavilova noted, the same secret work is being carried out in Russia.

According to Bezrukov, in the past few years, together with Vavilova, they set out to attract representatives of the younger generation to the intelligence profession.

“If, after watching this series, at least a small group of boys and girls want to be scouts, then we have completed our task ... This is the most romantic profession,” he said.

• Shot from the series "Russians"

• © Premier Online Cinema

Operator Yevgeny Kordunsky (Sky, Owl) noted that while working on the film, he did not focus on anything, as he sought to create an authentic Russian product.

The uniqueness of the project was also noted by the general producer of the film, Inessa Yurchenko.

According to her, it is expressed not only in the story, which was first written by a professional operative, but also in the tasks that the film crew faced in the process.

Due to the pandemic and a small budget, it was not possible to shoot in the USA, so the scenery had to be built in St. Petersburg.

Together with the authors of the book, the producers conducted a long search for the performers of the main roles.

If Pyotr Rykov was approved immediately, then 150 actresses claimed the main female role.

As a result, she went to Ekaterina Molokhovskaya, who had to be dyed blonde.

To immerse themselves in the history of the relationship between the two scouts, the actors consulted with their prototypes.

They needed to feel that the operative is performing an important mission, but at the same time in society he should look and live like an ordinary person.

“What we learned after the meeting gave us a lot of confidence.

In the work on the role, you can, of course, look for all sorts of details, but the understanding that you have a connection with your homeland was strung on a string, ”said Pyotr Rykov.

The actor also said that at the meeting they discussed other projects in which illegal intelligence officers are the main characters.

He admitted that he watched the TV series "The Americans", which was served under a different sauce: the main character at some point thinks about staying in the United States forever, which is completely unacceptable for the heroes of the "Russians".

Despite the fact that they face betrayal and can be caught at any moment, they do not forget for a second about the connection with their homeland and the duty of service.

The main characters in the film are opposed by the antagonist performed by Anton Batyrev.

The artist noted that this project is “about patriotism, which is lacking in our time, as well as about heroism, which is enough.”

“We must make films not only about the heroes of the past, but about the heroes of our time ... Cinematography is in the direction in which it should go.

We are slowly reformatting towards beautiful Soviet cinema, but in modern realities, with the addition of quality, ”he explained.

Sofya Mitrofanova, CEO of the Premier online cinema, also noted that it is important for viewers to be able to watch multi-genre content that carries universal human values.

"Russians" is the project for which you will not be ashamed at all.

Whatever happens in the process of any film or series, it must carry a good beginning or rebirth.

If there are more projects based on kindness and love, we will definitely make this world a much better place.

And the life of our young generation, which will live and grow on this, will be internally more integral and stable - something that the generation of the 1990s lacks, ”she said.

As for the visual design of the picture, it is done quite well: bright and rich.

But, since there is no dubbing in the picture (the characters initially speak Russian), it’s hard to feel the story, it’s hard to believe in the veracity of what is happening.

Because of this, the on-screen location, quite similar to an American suburb, seems to be an elite village near Moscow.

However, this does not at all violate the integrity of the perception of the film, but weak and rather monotonous dialogues and hackneyed phrases like "it is clear that nothing is clear."

Nevertheless, the plot captures, the intrigue takes over and encourages you to watch the next series to find out what will happen to the characters.