Beanpole (2019)

1945, Leningrad. WWII has devastated the city, demolishing its buildings and leaving its citizens in tatters, physically and mentally. Two young women search for meaning and hope in the struggle to rebuild their lives amongst the ruins.

Director:

Kantemir Balagov

Writers:

Kantemir Balagov, Aleksandr Terekhov

Stars:

Viktoria Miroshnichenko, Vasilisa Perelygina, Andrey Bykov

28 wins & 61 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Viktoria Miroshnichenko	...	Iya Sergueeva
Vasilisa Perelygina	...	Masha
Andrey Bykov	...	Nikolay Ivanovich
Igor Shirokov	...	Sasha
Konstantin Balakirev	...	Stepan
Kseniya Kutepova	...	Lyubov Petrovna (as Ksenia Kutepova)
Alyona Kuchkova	...	Stepan's Wife
Timofey Glazkov	...	Pashka
Veniamin Kac	...	Sasha's Friend
Olga Dragunova	...	Seamstress
Denis Kozinets	...	Sasha's Father
Alisa Oleynik	...	Katya
Dmitri Belkin	...	Shepelev
Lyudmila Motornaya	...	Olga
Anastasiya Khmelinina	...	Nurse Leonova

Storyline

1945, Leningrad. World War II has devastated the city, demolishing its buildings and leaving its citizens in tatters, physically and mentally. Although the siege - one of the worst in history - is finally over, life and death continue their battle in the wreckage that remains. Two young women, Iya and Masha, search for meaning and hope in the struggle to rebuild their lives amongst the ruins. 26-year-old Kantemir Balagov follows TESNOTA, winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, with a powerful period drama.

---

Plot Keywords:

euthanasia | tramway | hospital | doctor | lesbian kiss | 

---

Genres:

Drama | War

---

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film figured at Barack Obama's list of favorite movies and TV shows of 2020.

---

Goofs

The scar on Masha's stomach disappears and re-appears during the communal shower scene.

---

Quotes

Nikolay Ivanovich: Where would he have seen a dog? They've all been eaten.

---

Connections

Referenced in Evening Urgant: Svetlana Ivanova (2020)

User Reviews

Film Review - Beanpole (2019) 7.4/10

"Masha effects a more philosophical guise toward her bereavement, but in time, acknowledging that she is now infertile, she will oblige Iya to get pregnant and bear a child (a son) for her, claiming that only a newborn baby can fill that profound void (child becomes a fungible item to quench a woman's maternal distress). But Iya harbors her own suppressed feelings for Masha, things get even trickier when Masha has a new suitor in the person of Sasha (Shirokov), who actually hails from an apparatchik family."

read my full review on my blog: cinema omnivore, thanks

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

Russia

Language:

Russian

Release Date:

29 January 2020 (USA)

Also Known As:

Beanpole

Filming Locations:

Saint Petersburg, Russia

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,008, 2 February 2020

Gross USA:

$196,258

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,591,621

Company Credits

Production Co:

AR Content, Non-Stop Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1