On February 16, the Wink online cinema will release the series “GDR” about the work of various agents against the background of geopolitical intrigues that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain.
The film was directed by Sergei Popov, who has directed such projects as “Furtseva. The Legend of Catherine", "Conclusion", "The Seventh Rune". Among the producers are Timur Weinstein, Fyodor Bondarchuk, Alexey Zemsky, as well as Yuri Sapronov, who was also one of the screenwriters of the series.
The geography of filming extends from Russia to Germany. Production of the film began in October 2022 in Moscow. Then they filmed in Vyborg, Kaliningrad, Minsk, Brest, Istanbul and Berlin. The preparatory stage, including the creation of large-scale decorations, took about two years.
The action-packed detective drama thriller is based on real events that took place from 1987 to 1990. To accurately convey historical events - the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, as well as the circumstances that preceded them and political intrigues, the authors of the series attracted consultants, including former intelligence officers.
The first episode begins with a speech by Mikhail Gorbachev about the division of Europe and NATO's influence on the region. Viewers also learn that a year earlier, intelligence agent Captain Alexander Nechaev (Alexander Gorbatov) conducted a secret operation in Berlin, but failed and lost one of the prominent KGB agents, who was the best friend of the head of the committee, Ivan Chernykh. Since then, Nechaev has been in bad standing with the leadership - Chernykh suspects him of having connections with the CIA and believes that the operation failed for a reason.
© Still from the TV series “GDR”
Meanwhile, Nechaev’s friend and colleague Zhdanov is trying to intercede on his behalf and involves him in a new operation related to German artists who came on tour to Moscow. Under the guise of a TASS photographer, he conducts his own investigation and identifies a spy among the creative team, who is backed by the Americans. At the same time, Stasi agents are involved in the case.
Against the backdrop of political and official intrigues, the hero’s relationship with his wife (Daria Ursulyak), also an intelligence agent, unfolds. The wife sincerely and unconditionally believes that her husband is not involved in the conspiracy.
Nechaev is not only an agent devoted to his homeland, but also a professional: for the sake of a positive outcome of the case, he is ready to risk even his life. Alexander Gorbatov brilliantly showed a first-class, cold-blooded KGB officer.
All foreigners were played by Russian actors - Linda Lapinsh, Yulia Marchenko, Evgeny Kutyanin and Kirill Zaitsev, reminiscent of a young Dolph Lundgren. Each of them (as well as all the performers of the roles of Soviet agents) is no less convincing in their role. The transformation of Alexander Oblasov is especially striking - even the actor’s voice sounds different in the film.
Mikhail Gorbachev was played by Vitaly Kovalenko. His hero is shown as an ordinary person with fears and anxieties, as well as an indecisive and timid politician, over whom his wife has power. The politician’s speech at the beginning of each episode sounds somewhat exaggerated intonation: if you compare the audio of Gorbachev’s speeches with what is heard in the film, it becomes obvious that the phrases in the series are theatricalized.
© Still from the TV series “GDR”
Events in the film develop rapidly and dynamically. From the first frames, the screen shows spectacular chases in cars that are rare today, voluminous explosions and spectacular scenes of shootouts.
The plot is wildly twisted and develops in an exciting and unpredictable way. The story as a whole turned out to be quite exciting - it will certainly appeal to connoisseurs of the genre and those who are interested in this historical period. It is difficult to predict the outcome of the film, and the desire to identify the spy persists at least throughout the first episodes.
As the authors of the project note, it is made in the genre of spy detective and political thriller. The film features real historical characters Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev, which helps to immerse oneself in the historical context.
The most complete perception is also facilitated by the results of the work of artists who selected clothing appropriate to the 1980s (however, it differs little from modern ones) and recognizable interiors, as well as other significant details. For example, the cars lined up in rows along the streets of monumental Berlin are absolutely authentic and complement the atmosphere of that time recreated on screen. The work of the cameraman is also important here: the combination of chase and shootout looks especially impressive.
In general, “GDR” is one of the most ambitious domestic TV series of our time with high-quality visuals and stylistic solutions that were relevant for the late 1980s.