Est - Ouest (1999)

Director:

Régis Wargnier

Writers:

Rustam Ibragimbekov (scenario and dialogue) and
Sergei Bodrov (scenario and dialogue) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 September 1999 (France)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

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...

Plot Keywords:

France | French | KGB | Actress | Passport

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

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
Daniel Martin	...	Turkish Captain
Hubert Saint-Macary	...	Embassy Advisor
Jauris Casanova	...	Fabiani
Joël Chapron	...	Theatre Interpreter
François Caron	...	Policier surveillance, Paris
Maria Verdi	...	Habilleuse
Ivan Savov	...	Moyta Petrov (as Yvan Savov)
Aleksandr Stolyarchuk	...	Cadet Petrov (as Alexandre Stoliartchouk)
Tanya Lyutskanova	...	Femme de l'invalide (as Tania Lioutskavnova)
Yuriy Yakovlev	...	Vieil Homme Kommonalka (as Youri Yakovlev)
Malin Krastev	...	L'ivrogne
Ivan Petrov	...	L'invalide
Stefan Mladenov	...	Enfant appartement
Yevgeniya Angelova	...	Enfant appartement (as Evguenia Anguelova)
Mac Marinov	...	Enfant appartement
Viara Tabakova	...	Epouse de l'ivrogne
Dimitar Nikolov	...	Chauffeur camion
Aleksei Vertinsky	...	Policier 1 Arrestation (as Alexeï Vertinski)
Pyotr Panchuk	...	Père Gueorgui (as Petro Panchouk)
Kalin Yavorov	...	Léonid Kozlov (as Kalin Iavorov)
Mikhail Ganev	...	Dimitri
Banko Bankov	...	Inspecteur Interrogatoire
Robin Cofaliev	...	Officier 1 débarcadère (as Robin Kafaliev)
Plamen Manassiev	...	Officier 2 débarcadère
Maxim Gentchev	...	Maire de Kiev (as Maxim Guentchev)
Krassimir Rankov	...	Androv
Emil Markov	...	Caucasien (as Emil Marcov)
Niolina Beletskaya	...	Irina (as Niolina Beletskaïa)
Igor Karalenko	...	Acrobate en retard
Oleg Lissigor	...	Anatoly
Tamara Aleksandrova	...	Femme sélectionneur (as Tamara Alexandrova)
Iordan Gospodinov	...	Chauffeur Taxi Sofia
Valentin Tanev	...	Policier contrôle Bulgare
Aleksandr Stoyanov	...	Policier KGB (as Alexandre Stoyanov)
Tsvetana Mircheva	...	Ouvrière inhalations (as Tsvetana Mirtcheva)

Directed by
Régis Wargnier

Writing credits
Rustam Ibragimbekov		(scenario and dialogue) (as Roustam Ibraguimbekov) and
Sergei Bodrov		(scenario and dialogue) and
Louis Gardel		(scenario and dialogue) and
Régis Wargnier		(scenario and dialogue)

Produced by
Mate Cantero	....	associate producer: Mate Productions
Yevgeni Gindilis	....	executive producer: NTV Profit - Moscow (as Evgueni Guindilis)
Kiril Kirilov	....	associate producer: Gala Films Ltd.
Stephan Kyrilov	....	executive producer: Gala Films Ltd
Yves Marmion	....	delegate producer
Aleksandr Rodnyansky	....	executive producer: Studio 1+1 (as Alexandre Rodniansky)
Patrick Sandrin	....	executive producer: Sofilm
Stéphane Sorlat	....	associate producer: Mate Productions
Igor Tolstunov	....	associate producer: NTV Profit, Moscow (as Igor Tolstounov)
Galina Toneva	....	associate producer: Gala Films Ltd.

Original Music by
Patrick Doyle

Cinematography by
Laurent Dailland

Film Editing by
Hervé Schneid

Casting by
Nathanielle Esther Benchimoun
Alexander Kossev		(as Alexandre Kossev)
Zina Mamontova		(as Zinaida Mamontova)
Gérard Moulévrier

Production Design by
Aleksei Levchenko		(as Alexeï Levtchenko)
Vladimir Svetozarov

Art Direction by
Vitali Kholovtchouk
Vladimir Svetozarov

Set Decoration by
Rossitsa Bakeva
Svetlana Filakhtova
Garabed Garabedian
Yvetta Kotcheva
Mikhail Levtchenko
Jean-Philippe Reverdot
Tzvetana Yankova

Costume Design by
Pierre-Yves Gayraud

Makeup Department
Pascal Ferrero	....	hair stylist
Patrick Girault	....	hair stylist
Ivanka Gorchinina	....	makeup artist
Violetta Lazarova	....	makeup artist
Jocelyne Lemery	....	makeup artist
Mina Matsumura	....	makeup artist
Agathe Moro	....	hair stylist
Atanaska Popova	....	makeup artist
Marie-France Taulere	....	makeup artist
Leftera Todorova	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Andreï Belous	....	production manager
Gérard Crosnier	....	production manager
Annie Dautane	....	production supervisor: Medialab
François Pulliat	....	unit manager
Erwan Riou	....	assistant production manager
Stéphane Weibel	....	assistant unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Victor Bojinov	....	assistant director
Delphine Bonnemason	....	assistant director
Christophe Cheysson	....	assistant director
Alexia Hébert de Beauvoir	....	assistant director
Vladimir Kapitonenko	....	assistant director
Alexis Loukakis	....	assistant director
Vera Zubtsova	....	assistant director (as Vera Zoubtsova)

Art Department
Andreï Berezine	....	property master
Bruno de Dieuleveult	....	storyboard artist
Emil Golaroy	....	property master
Christo Petrov	....	property master
Anna Prisitch	....	property master
Guy Vanderplaetsen	....	property master
Sergei Yegorov	....	property master (as Serguei Egorov)

Sound Department
Olivier Burgaud	....	sound
Marilena Cavola	....	sound editor
Dominique Dalmasso	....	sound mixer
Dominique Dalmasso	....	sound
Gérard Hardy	....	sound
François Lepeuple	....	foley artist
Jacques Lévy	....	post-synchronization
Laurent Lévy	....	foley artist
Jean-Charles Martel	....	sound mixer
Françoise Maulny	....	post-synchronization (as Françoise Maulny-Lévy)
Francis Perrard	....	sound stereo consultant: Dolby
Hervé Roux	....	sound consultant: DTS
Guillaume Sciama	....	sound
Isabelle Tat	....	post-synchronization
Alexandre Widmer	....	assistant sound editor
Alexandre Widmer	....	dialogue editor
Nick Wollage	....	sound mixer (as Nick Woolage)
Nick Wollage	....	sound recording engineer (as Nick Woolage)

Special Effects by
Eve Ramboz	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Daniel Marchetti	....	opticals (as Marchetti)
François Dumoulin	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Bruno Maillard	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Olivier Banon	....	assistant camera
Olivier Bouyssou	....	grip
Touffik Chih	....	grip
Todor Chtoukov	....	electrician
Gil Fontbonne	....	grip
Etienne George	....	still photographer
Penko Ivanov	....	grip
Stanislas Kaminsky	....	grip
Valery Korensky	....	electrician
Gueorguy Kotov	....	electrician
Borislav Krastanov	....	electrician
Océane Lavergne	....	assistant camera
Tchavdar Minev	....	grip
Pascal Morisset	....	underwater camera operator
Olivier Neveu	....	electrician
Dimitar Nikolov	....	grip
Pascal Pajaud	....	electrician
Sergei Panteleyev	....	assistant camera (as Sergeï Panteleiev)
Christophe Paturange	....	assistant camera
Jérôme Peyrebrune	....	assistant camera (as Pascal-Jérôme Peyrebrune)
Valentin Popov	....	electrician
Catherine Pujol	....	assistant camera
Philippe Reinaudo	....	camera supervisor: Mediabab
Michel Revest	....	underwater camera operator
Roland Savoye	....	underwater camera operator
Plamen Soklev	....	electrician
Plamen Vassiliev	....	electrician
Aleksandr Zlatev	....	assistant camera (as Alexandre Zlatev)

Casting Department
Alexander Kossev	....	casting: Bulgaria

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Pierre Bechir	....	costumer
Astrid Danielsson	....	costumer
Chantal Glasman	....	costumer
Anna Katchouleva	....	costumer
Doriana Kebedzhieva	....	costumer (as Doriana Voutchkova)
Irina Kotcheva	....	costumer
Svetlana Poberezhnaya	....	costumer (as Svetlana Poberejnaia)
Boryana Semerdjieva	....	costumer (as Boriana Semerdjieva)
Radija Zeggai	....	costumer
Ani Gelinova	....	additional wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Eric Dardill	....	assistant editor
Olivier Fontenay	....	color timer
Liza Ignazi	....	assistant editor
Isabelle Julien	....	color timer
Isabelle Proust	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Vasili Agapkin	....	composer: song "Proschaniye Slaviansky" (as Vassili Agapkin)
Lawrence Ashmore	....	orchestrator
Emanuel Ax	....	musician: piano
Anatoli Novikov	....	composer: song "Smuglianka" (as Anatoly Novikov)
Roy Prendergast	....	music editor
Maggie Rodford	....	music producer
James Shearman	....	conductor
Yakov Shvedov	....	composer: song "Smuglianka" (as Yakov Chvedov)
Vasili Solovyov-Sedoy	....	composer: songs "V tumaniye skrilas milaya Odessa" and "Solovi" (as Vassili Solovyov-Sedoi)
Aleksandr Vertinsky	....	composer: song "V stepi moldavanskoi" (as Alexandre Vertinski)

Other crew
Vitalik Belous	....	production assistant
Sandra Bensadón	....	press attache
Anna Brioukhanova	....	production assistant
Marie-France Calif	....	production secretary
Fabien Capdeville	....	production assistant
Bernard Caroff	....	groupman
Joël Chapron	....	production advisor
Buryan Chompolov	....	production assistant (as Bourian Tchompolov)
Philippe de Jesus	....	caterer
Isabelle Delage	....	script supervisor
Jean-Christophe Fey	....	caterer
Gonzague Isle de Beauchaine	....	production assistant
Larissa Khaliapina	....	production assistant
Denis Khaliapine	....	production assistant
Vitali Kholovtchouk	....	artistic director: dance ensemble
Stefan Kirilov	....	production assistant
Dimitri Kojema	....	production assistant
Irina Kojema	....	production assistant
Tatiana Krouchovska	....	production secretary
Sergei Kuzmishov	....	dialogue coach (as Serguei Kouzmichov)
Ivan Kyrilov	....	production assistant
Marta Laska	....	production secretary
Olivier Lejort	....	production assistant
Yuna Lemasson	....	production assistant
Nicole Lenfant	....	administrator
Xavier Machain	....	caterer
Daniel Marchetti	....	title designer (as Marchetti)
Aleksandr Marinov	....	production assistant (as Alexandre Marinov)
Valentin Marinov Pelo	....	production assistant
Ludmila Mikhailova	....	coordinator: NTV Profit, Moscow
Albena Moutaftchieva	....	production secretary
Pierre-Laurent Nicolas	....	production assistant
Dimitar Nikolov	....	production assistant
Ilya Ognev	....	coordinator: NTV Profit, Moscow
Philippe Philipov	....	production assistant
Lidia Pikhour	....	administrator
François Pouliot	....	production assistant
Karine Raphaël	....	production assistant
Erwan Riou	....	production assistant
Patrick Sandrin	....	production assistant
Dominique Segall	....	press attache
Thierry Six	....	caterer
Alexandre Tchetirkine	....	production assistant
Anatoly Tchouiko	....	production assistant
Marusia Toshkova	....	production advisor (as Maroussia Tochkova)
Jean-François Tymen	....	caterer
Detchka Yossifova	....	administrator
Alexei Ziounkine	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• UGC YM
• France 3 Cinéma
• NTV-PROFIT
• Gala Films
• Mate Producciones S.A.
• Canal+ (participation)
• Sofica Sofinergie 5 (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)
• Studio 1+1

Distributors

• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Vidéo (2002) (France) (DVD)
• Budapest Film (2000) (Hungary) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2000) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• BIM Distribuzione (Italy)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Wise Policy (2001) (Japan) (all media)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• 24/25 Virtuel  image editing
• Air-Edel Recording Studios  music mixing
• Alunissons  sound
• Artistic Palace  sound editing
• Bulgarian National Radio, Studio 1  music recording
• Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra  orchestra
• Sony Classical  soundtrack album: France
• Ukrainian Army Air Forces  chorus and dances (as L'Armée Ukrainienne)

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)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence and brief sensuality.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

Bulgaria | France | Russia | Spain | Ukraine

Language:

French | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

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:

Burgas, Bulgaria

Company:

UGC YM

Trivia:

The two main Russian actors (Oleg Menshikov and Sergei Bodrov Jr.) do not speak French. They memorized all the lines phonetically.

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.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Femme Fatale (2002)

Intense and powerful!

I sat in the cinema after the credits had rolled almost unable to bring myself to leave, get in my car and drive home. I was completely overwhelmed by this intense film and its in your face storyline. Whether the story the film was based on was true or not, I thought the performances of all the actors and actresses were exceptional, the photography was excellent and overall though not a film that could be called 'enjoyable' because it was so sad, I was intensely moved and gave it 9/10.