Films about Orthodoxy: titles, ratings of the best, actors, audience reviews

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Films about Orthodoxy in Russian culture are a relatively new phenomenon that appeared only after the collapse of the Soviet Union. At the moment, it is considered very popular and widespread. Many people prefer to watch these pictures, as they contain a good beginning, they teach the observance of biblical truths, which are based on mercy and kindness. In this article, we will talk about the most popular feeds on this topic that deserve your attention.

Island

One of the most famous domestic films about Orthodoxy is Pavel Lungin's drama "The Island". The main roles were played by Pyotr Mamonov, Dmitry Dyuzhev, Viktor Sukhorukov, Victoria Isakova.

The action of the picture at the very beginning takes place in 1942 on a Soviet barge, which is captured by the Germans. Under torture, the stoker betrays the captain. Fascists offersave his life if he agrees to shoot his commander. He follows orders. He is left on a mined ship, which explodes. A seriously wounded sailor is picked up by monks.

Next, the action of this film about Orthodoxy is transferred to 1976. The stoker is very old. He became a monk and is now called Anatoly. The main character works as a stoker. This is his main obedience in the monastery. Like an old man, people from afar come to him with illnesses and needs. Anatoly is believed to have the ability to heal and the gift of clairvoyance.

At the same time, the monk has a lot of oddities that other novices do not understand. This is especially true of Father Job, who is envious of the gift of providence. Despite repentance and humility, Anatoly is haunted by the sin he committed. Therefore, he often gets on a boat and sails away to a distant island, where he turns to God alone.

Events in this film about Orthodoxy begin to develop rapidly when an admiral with a possessed daughter comes to the old man. It turns out to be the same barge captain that Anatoly shot at. It turned out that he only wounded him in the arm, so he managed to survive. He forgave the stoker a long time ago, who understands that now he can die in peace.

Reviews

This is one of the most famous feature films about Orthodoxy made in recent years. Critics and viewers have left mostly positive reviews about him.

They noted that the atmosphere was saturated with the spirit of the Orthodox faith. At the same time, it is not easy to look at the picture. The action develops slowly, each scene lasts a long time. The main idea of the tape is forgiveness, the importance of which the director is trying to convey.

Pyotr Mamonov's play deserves special mention. Once again, he has proven himself to be an exceptional actor.

Pop

In 2010, Vladimir Khotinenko shoots the military-historical drama "Pop". This is another film about Orthodoxy, the main roles in it were played by Sergei Makovetsky, Elizaveta Arzamasova. The cast also included Nina Usatova, Kirill Pletnev and Anatoly Lobotsky.

It is considered that this is one of the best films about Orthodoxy. It tells about such a difficult and little-studied page in the history of the Russian church as the Great Patriotic War. The focus is on the activities of the Pskov Orthodox Mission.

Few people know that in the period from 1941 to 1944, the B altic priests sought to revive church life in the Soviet occupied territories. They worked in cities from Leningrad to Pskov.

The rector of a tiny parish, Father Alexander, is in the center of the story. Soon after the village is occupied by the Germans, the most important mission of his life begins. There is no place for biblical miracles in it, but the main thing is the return of faith to one's people. His duty as a priest turns into a sacred deed.

Voices of viewers

This Orthodox film was actively discussed in the Russian Orthodox Church. Orthodoxy is shown in it as a religion of kindness, compassion and care for one's neighbor, which he highly appreciatedPatriarch Kirill of Moscow He congratulated the creative team that worked on the film. He noted that it was a true and important story about the life of domestic priests during the war years.

At the same time, those who were dissatisfied with the tape remained. Archpriest Georgy Mitrofanov emphasized that it leaves a feeling of half-truth. It arbitrarily recounts many historical events. In addition, in his opinion, the picture is also vulnerable from a spiritual point of view. In the main character, we see not a preacher, pastor and confessor, but a social worker and agitator.

Reverend Seraphim of Sarov

Among children's films about Orthodoxy, animation films come to mind first of all. For example, in 2008 directors Alina Ivakh and Vladislav Ponomarev shot the cartoon "Reverend Seraphim of Sarov". This is a colorful animated picture, which tells in detail about an Orthodox saint and miracle worker who lived in the 18th-19th centuries. His fate, service to God, miracles performed are described in detail.

Proverbs

From 2010 to 2013, director Vitaly Lyubetsky embodied Orthodox parables on the screen. There were four episodes in total, each with three stories.

Starring Mikhail Yesman and Alexander Tkachenko. This is a Belarusian film, shot at a studio in the name of the holy confessor John the Warrior.

For example, the first episode opened with a story called "An Unusual Obedience". Its plot is based on a parable from the ancientPaterika. The idea is to refuse excessive praise and teaches not to grumble when a person is scolded for a cause.

The second parable "Silent Prayer" is based on the stories of St. Basil of Kineshma. It tells about people who dream of being heard by God. At the same time, they often come to the temple, immersed in their worldly thoughts, so they have no chance to earn the attention of the Almighty.

The third parable is called "How the Savior went to visit". It is based on the story of Father Paul about Christ, who, dressed in earthly clothes, went from house to house, but was repeatedly rejected by people who considered themselves Orthodox, observing the biblical commandments.

The picture received positive feedback from the Orthodox Church. She has received a number of awards at festivals dedicated to religion and morality.

Elder Paisios and me standing upside down

In 2012, Alexander Stolyarov directed the biographical drama Elder Paisios and I, Standing Upside Down, based on his own script. This is an attempt to tell in the most simple and accessible language about such complex things as silent prayer and hesychia.

The main character of this film is a monk who has a real historical prototype. This is the Greek priest Elder Paisios, who died on Mount Athos at the beginning of the 20th century. Stories about him are recorded by another monk, Christodoulos Agiorites.

In fact, this is an Orthodox comedy in which a young and an old monk come out to fight evil. The main character is simple, constantly gets intoanecdotal situations, while everything heard and seen, everything that happens to him, these are the rays of some huge mystery.

The young monk is always next to the old man, filming him on camera. The film shows the last days of the elder's life in the monastery and the first time spent in the monastery by a young monk.

Sergey Sokolov, Daniil Usachev, Yuri Kosin, Albert Arnautov, Matvey Stolyarov appear in the lead roles in this film.

How are people alive?

This is a philosophical question that was quite popular in the 19th century. Even became the title for several literary works. For example, a story by a feuilletonist and publicist Vlas Doroshevich, a poem by Vladimir Solovyov, a story by Leo Tolstoy.

It was the short film by Alexander Kushnir, filmed in 2008, that became the adaptation of the work of Lev Nikolayevich. The director himself designated the genre of his film-parable. In it, he tells the story of an angel who seeks to find out how and with what people live on earth.

Starring Valery Pleshko, Alexey Shevtsov, Natalya Sinyavskaya, Olga Kroitor, Vyacheslav Kalyuzhny, Marina Golyakova.

After on earth, an angel takes up residence in a shoemaker's house after being cast down from heaven. He disobeyed after he was sent to earth to take the soul of a woman who had lost her husband. He can return to heaven when he finds answers to questions about human nature.

Angel lives as a cobbler's apprentice, reflecting on life.

Documentary Mamontov

Several at oncedocumentary films about Orthodoxy were shot by journalist and TV presenter Arkady Mamontov. It all started with the painting “Athos. Climbing”, dedicated to life on the Holy Mountain. A look at one of the most famous and revered Orthodox places is given by Russian pilgrims who annually come to the mountain in large numbers.

In 2017, another film by Arkady Mamontov about Orthodoxy is released. This is the painting "Monk", dedicated to an ordinary soldier and Russian peasant Semyon Ivanovich Antonov, who turned into a true monk, known to everyone under the name of Silouan Athos.

In 2018, Mamontov shoots a documentary film "Saint Spyridon" about the fate of the Christian saint of the III-IV centuries, Spyridon Trimifuntsky, who is revered as a miracle worker.

The works of Arkady Mamontov, who in recent years has become one of the most prolific documentary filmmakers in the country, have been highly appreciated not only by colleagues and critics, but also by most representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church.