Valentin Ganev Movies
An adopted girl returns to her homeland of Russia to explore the dilapidated mountain farm she has recently inherited, only to discover that it harbors a deadly secret in the feature debut from Aftermath director Nacho Cerdà . Shortly after the mysterious death of her birth mother, young Marie was adopted and brought to live in the United States. When Marie receives word that she has inherited an isolated farm in her native Russia, she soon sets out to explore the vast estate and peel away the thick gauze obscuring her secret-shrouded past. Confounded by the local's refusal to show her to the "damned" locale and determined not to give up after coming this far, Marie convinces a man to take her there only to discover that he has inexplicably vanished shortly after arrival. As Marie sets out to explore the ominous and expansive property alone, a surprise encounter with a man named Boris, who claims to have been lured to the house under similar circumstances, sets into motion a chilling series of events in which the ghosts of the past -- as well as deceased doppelgangers of both Marie and Boris -- prevent the frightened pair from leaving. In the terrifying hours that follow, both of these tormented lost souls will find that sometimes the past is best left forgotten. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anastasia Hille, Karel Roden, (more)
- 2006
Accused of political crimes after attempting to escape to the West on the night of his graduation prom, star English Language School student Loris is betrayed and captured in this politically-charged drama from director Kiran Kolarov. The year is 1986, and the cracks in the Berlin Wall are beginning to show. On the walls of the prison, enormous red letters read "If you don't know - we will teach you, if you can't - we will show you how, if you don't want to - we will force you." There was once a time when Loris was considered a brilliant and promising young student, but now he has been emotionally transformed by cynicism and torture. When the Berlin Wall finally crumbles, Loris is granted amnesty. But by this point it's too late to turn back, and Loris' hunger for revenge threatens to send him screaming down a dark path. Still, it may not be too late for salvation just yet, and perhaps after discovering love Loris will finally prove able to overcome his demons. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Deyan Dragomirecki-Deo, Fani Kolarova, (more)
In this two-part cable miniseries based on a novel by Frederick Forsyth (hence the proprietary title), a post-Communist Russia is mired in chaos and confusion. Emerging from the crowd to lead his fellow Russians out of the darkness and into the light is the fabulously popular presidential candidate Igor Komarov (Patrick Bergin). What virtually no one suspects is that Komarov is a ruthlessly dedicated "old liner," who intends to return his homeland to a repressive military dictatorship, using brutal former KGB officer Anotoly Grishin (Annika Peterson) as his "hatchet woman." The only person savvy to what Komarov is up to is former CIA operative Jason Monk (Patrick Swayze), who takes it upon himself to save the new Russia from a horrendous fate -- and, incidentally, to settle a personal score with the beautiful but deadly Grishin. Produced for the Hallmark channel, Frederick Forsyth's Icon debuted on May 30, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Swayze, Ben Cross, (more)
Wilfred Schmidt's suspense film Dark Descent stars Dean Cain as Will Murdack, a member of the Deep Submersible Division. Murdack is sent to investigate why people are dying in an underwater mining installation. Between the physical pressures of being 35,000 feet underwater, the psychological ravages of never seeing sunlight, and the constant claustrophobia, Murdack must work quickly to rescue himself as well the workers. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
