Afghan Breakdown (1990)
"Afganskiy izlom" (original title)

The film opens with a scene of an Islamic circumcision. After the opening credits, a line of Mujahedin are shown approaching a roadway where a squad of Soviet soldiers has been slaughtered.... See full synopsis »

Director:

Vladimir Bortko

Writers:

Leonid Bogachuk, Aleksandr Chervinsky,

Stars:

Michele Placido, Tatyana Dogileva, Mikhail Zhigalov

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michele Placido	...	Major Bandura
Tatyana Dogileva	...	Katya
Mikhail Zhigalov	...	Lieutenant colonel
Filipp Yankovsky	...	Nikita Steklov
Aleksey Serebryakov	...	Arsenyov
Nina Ruslanova	...	Tanya
Nikolai Ustinov	...	Vasya Onisimov
Rinat Ibragimov	...	Denis Popov
Khoshim Rakhimov	...	Gulakhan (as Khashim Rakhimov)
Kiem Yakub	...	Gulakhan's son
Artur Uvarov	...	Ivanov
Yuriy Kuznetsov	...	Shchup
Viktor Proskurin	...	Simakov
Sergei Isavnin	...	Sedykh
Muso Isoyev	...	Adil

Storyline

The film opens with a scene of an Islamic circumcision. After the opening credits, a line of Mujahedin are shown approaching a roadway where a squad of Soviet soldiers has been slaughtered... See full synopsis »

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Plot Keywords:

1980s | afghan war | kill | firearm | dead soldier | 

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Genres:

War

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Details

Country:

Soviet Union Italy

Language:

Russian Italian

Release Date:

May 1991 (France)

Also Known As:

Afghan Breakdown

Filming Locations:

Russia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Clemi Cinematografica, Lenfilm Studio, Russkoye Video

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

The best so far picture of Soviet- Afghan war

I would recommend this as the most successful attempt so far to make a movie on Soviet Afghan war. And it is very honest and responsible picture starting from small details of uniforms and weapons up to human relations, war routine and Central Asian landscapes. It's been shot in Tajikistan just after the the troop withdrawal which happened in 1989 not in 1985. The Italian star Mr. Placido was just perfect in the role of Major Bandura. Other characters looked also very natural especially always drunk club managing officer:-).The scenario seems a bit jammed in the end but it might be an impact of the Civil war in Tajikistan which had started right during the shooting of the film. All movie team had to escape sometimes even under fire. The last scene is purely "harakiri" type of behavior and reminded me the final phrase from one famous samurai movie - "We've won all battles but lost the war". It could be also a metaphor of USSR collapse - the great country allowing to shoot itself to the back by the small offended child.