Mimino (1977)

Local Georgian pilot Mimino dreams of flying airplanes for major international airlines. To realize his aspirations, he goes to Moscow where he encounters a fellow comrade from the Caucasus, the Armenian Rubik. Many misadventures ensue.

Director:

Georgiy Daneliya

Writers:

Revaz Gabriadze, Viktoriya Tokareva

Stars:

Vakhtang Kikabidze, Mher Mkrtchyan, Elena Proklova

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vakhtang Kikabidze	...	Mimino (as Buba Kikabidze)
Mher Mkrtchyan	...	Rubik (as Frunzik Mkrtchyan)
Elena Proklova	...	Komarova
Evgeniy Leonov	...	Volokhov
Kote Daushvili	...	Grandfather (as Konstantin Daushvili)
Ruslan Mikaberidze	...	Givi Ivanovich
Zakro Sakhvadze	...	Varlaam
Marina Dyuzheva	...	Advocate (as Mariya Dyuzheva)
Rusiko Morcheladze	...	Lali
Archil Gomiashvili	...	Papashvili
Aleksey Alekseev	...	Prosecutor (as A. Alekseev)
Vladimir Basov	...	Sinitsyn (as V.Basov)
Valentina Titova	...	Sinitsyn's Wife (as V. Titova)
Boryslav Brondukov	...	Man Weighing Himself before the Flight (as B.Brondukov)
Zeinab Botsvadze	...	Yekaterina Mizandari (as Z. Butsvadze)

Storyline

Pilot Mimino works at small local airlines in Telavi, Georgia, flying helicopters between small villages. He dreams of piloting large planes for major international airlines, so he goes to Moscow for refresher courses. There in a hotel he meets truck driver Rubik from Dilijan, Armenia who is given a place in that hotel by mistake. Together they have many adventures in Moscow. However, both are homesick and long for their family, friends, and hometowns in the Caucasus.

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Plot Keywords:

pilot | helicopter | georgian | kakheti georgia europe | hotel | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many visitors of the Rossiya Hotel bar stayed on set after the bar was closed, to see the filming of the scene with Rubik and Mimino dancing lezginka. Right during filming, Mher Mkrtchyan drank with his Armenian friends and they talked him into doing a split and picking up his handkerchief, to make him look better than "the Georgian," but Mkrtchyan wasted several takes trying to do it because, being too drunk, he couldn't hold himself properly. In the end, Georgiy Daneliya secretly told Vakhtang Kikabidze to grab the handkerchief while Mkrtchyan was doing the split and this was how the scene was shot.

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Goofs

When Mimino is talking to the old woman besides his helicopter on the plateau the type of the helicopter (riveted to no-riveted body) and the size and shape of the mountains seen in the background change between the shots.

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Quotes

Valentin Mizandari: I want Larisa Ivanovna!

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Alternate Versions

The premiere version that was shown on the Moscow International Film Festival was cut by the scene in which Valiko is calling an immigrant in Tel Aviv by mistake. The immigration topic was a political issue and the international public wasn't supposed to see it. The festival version was the only cut print (which later has been reportedly destroyed by the director); the theatrical release was uncut.

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Connections

Referenced in Karnavalnaya noch 2, ili 50 let spustya (2007)

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Soundtracks

Chito-gvrito
(uncredited)
Music by Giya Kancheli
Lyrics by Petre Gruzinski
Performed by Vakhtang Kikabidze
Played in the second part of the opening credits and the tune is used later throughout the film

User Reviews

best movie ever

This is the best movie about human relationship. The best tragicomedy ever! Danelia's masterpiece. Kikabidze's and Mkrtchan's best roles. I presume this is the bset soviet and russian film. Shame that many ppl in the world didnt see it!!!

Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Georgian Russian Armenian English

Release Date:

27 March 1978 (Soviet Union)

Also Known As:

Мимино

Filming Locations:

Novyi Arbat, Moscow, Russia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Georgian-Film, Mosfilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1