The Guide (2014)

American boy Peter and blind minstrel Ivan are thrown together by fate amidst the turbulent mid-1930s Soviet Ukraine.

Director:

Oles Sanin

Writers:

Olexandr Irvanets, Iren Razdobudko

Stars:

Stanislav Boklan, Jeff Burrell, Anton Sviatoslav Greene

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Stanislav Boklan	...	Ivan Kocherga
Jeff Burrell	...	Michael Shamrock
Anton Sviatoslav Greene	...	Peter Shamrock
Andriy Haddad	...	Vasya
Jamala	...	Olga
Aleksandr Kobzar	...	Comrade Vladimir
Oleg Primogenov	...	Sytnyk
Irina Sanina	...	Orysia
Serhiy Zhadan	...	Mikhaylo Semenko (as Sergiy Zhadan)

Storyline

Early 1930s. Peter is a ten-year-old boy in the midst of turbulent Soviet Ukraine. His father, an American engineer, is killed for obtaining secret documents about the repressions, which now are hidden in Peter's book. The boy flees from the police with a blind kobzar (Ukrainian folk minstrel), Ivan Kocherga. Ivan does everything to help his young guide to grow up and survive with a kind and clear soul that will not be hardened by what his eyes have seen. He tells his young guide elaborate stories that make him believe there can be a different reality from what he sees around him. We are challenged to admit the blind kobzar may see the world with greater clarity than those with perfect eyes.

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Ukraine

Language:

Ukrainian Russian English

Release Date:

12 November 2014 (Ukraine)

Also Known As:

A vakvezető

Filming Locations:

Kharkiv, Ukraine

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pronto Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original first tractor from the Kharkiv Tractor Plant, that served as a monument before, was renovated and used for shooting.

User Reviews

Hope for a brilliant future

This film is really valuable for me like for thousands other people. Because of its story lines, kobza-player's songs, picturesque Ukrainian nature and incredible mix of emotions like "laughing through crying". "The Guide" for me is a promise for the great future of cinema in my Motherland, because this film is valuable for Ukrainians only, but not for the whole world now. Let me begin from bad side of "The Guide". It's Jamala's unnatural play. She don't live in the film. She is trying to play. And this is the thing, which give opportunity for growing to Oles Sanin and Ukrainian cinema. Then, someone said Grin's play wasn't so good, but it can't be usual or whole-understandable for us, because he is a person from different country and culture both in real life and film. That's all about bad sides. Maybe, its worth to say smth about dialogs, but that which were played by brilliant actors are good and . I am completely sure co-scenes of Stanislav Boklan and Irina Sanina were the best, because of its authenticity and premiere on the "big screen". I should say a big "Thank you!" to Sergii Mihalchuk, who took a picture, and whole film team (I don't really know who should get the biggest appreciation, except of director and actors, of course). Another advantage its shooting in Ukrainian picturesque nature, which takes a heart with it for a long months (I have watched "The Guide" in November, but I still remember that moments of delight by simply watching native landscapes). Year, so many words without mentioning dramatic storyline in this film, which should play, actually, the main role. But for me it isn't smth new, unknown. I can't even imagine how it was. And I'm really stressful-less person, so it hasn't touched me. Only mentioned that it really-really-really and I have a huge reason to live for. Mistake isn't excused. But "The Guide" is still the best and you still should watch it to understand and to move our history on.