Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsEst - Ouest (1999) More at IMDbPro »
| Videos (see all 2) |
Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Rustam Ibragimbekov (scenario and dialogue) and
Sergei Bodrov (scenario and dialogue) ...
more
Release Date:
1 September 1999 (France) more
Plot:
June 1946: Stalin invites Russian emigres to return to the motherland. It's a trap: when a ship-load from France arrives in Odessa... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations more
User Comments:
Cinematic Gesamtkunskwerk more (50 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Oleg Menshikov | ... | Aleksei Golovin (as Oleg Menchikov) | |
| Sandrine Bonnaire | ... | Marie, his wife | |
| Catherine Deneuve | ... | Gabrielle Develay | |
| Sergei Bodrov Jr. | ... | Sasha Vasilyev (as Sergueï Bodrov Jr) | |
| Ruben Tapiero | ... | Seryozha, age 7 | |
| Erwan Baynaud | ... | Seryozha, age 14 | |
| Grigori Manukov | ... | Pirogov (as Grigori Manoukov) | |
| Tatyana Dogileva | ... | Olga (as Tatiana Doguileva) | |
| Bogdan Stupka | ... | Colonel Boyko | |
| Meglena Karalambova | ... | Nina Fyodorovna | |
| Atanass Atanassov | ... | Viktor | |
| Tania Massalitinova | ... | Anastasia Aleksandrovna | |
| Valentin Ganev | ... | Volodya Petrov | |
| Nikolai Binev | ... | Sergei Kozlov (as Nikolaï Binev) | |
| René Féret | ... | Ambassadeur de France |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Восток-Запад (Russia)
Изток - Запад (Bulgaria: Bulgarian title)
East-West (Europe: English title)
La vida prometida (Spain)
[Est]Ouest (France) (poster title)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for violence and brief sensuality.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
121 min
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Malaysia:18PL | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | New Zealand:M | Peru:14 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13 | Australia:M
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The two main Russian actors (Oleg Menshikov and Sergei Bodrov Jr.) do not speak French. They memorized all the lines phonetically. more
Goofs:
Errors in geography: When Marie goes to the KGB building in Kiev and Alexei finds her there, persuading her to leave, the viewer can read a sign on the building that says, in Cyrillic letters, "Ministerstvo na..." This is a Bulgarian genitive construction, meaning "The Ministry of..." The only Slavic languages that show the genitive case in this fashion are Bulgarian and Macedonian. The genitive case is marked differently in Russian and Ukrainian, which shows that the "KGB" building could not actually have been in Kiev. This makes sense because the film was partially shot in Bulgaria. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Femme Fatale (2002) more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (50 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Est - Ouest (1999)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| quote Marie was reading +Dvd | invierno |
| No Soundtrack ?!? | bobsprincess70 |
| Subtitles | wildirishrose19 |
Recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Indochine | De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté | La tregua | Persepolis | Trzy kolory: Bialy |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Romance section | IMDb Bulgaria section | Add this title to MyMovies |



The cathartic nature of this film was such that found myself unable even to cry until the credits began their long slow march across the screen, and even then getting up out of my seat was not an option. I don't think any other film has made such a profound and immediate impact on me.
Set in the years following Stalin's invitation to former expatriates to return to their native Russia a call many answered, blissfully unaware of the dire consequences their decision would have- it is filled with the Russian spirit that sees people stubbornly persevering, and touched with the French one that not only looks for escape but insists upon it.
Some films would be rendered incomprehensible simply by the sheer amount of quiet action that here, thankfully, only adds to the audience's investment in the film, without losing focus. It was unquestionably the best film I have seen in recent memory. It is the closest I have ever felt to experiencing a Gesamtkunstwerk in a movie theatre.