Kseniya Rappoport Movies

Leo Tolstoy's classic novel is brought to the screen once again in what was the first American-based production of this story to be filmed on location in Russia. Anna (Sophie Marceau) is married to Alexei (James Fox), but while their relationship is not outwardly unhappy, it's clear that neither has much enthusiasm for either their spouse or their marriage. While visiting her bother Stiva (Danny Huston), who is having marital problems of his own, Anna meets Count Vronsky (Sean Bean). An immediate mutual attraction arises between them, and soon Vronsky has left behind his mistress Kitty (Mia Kirshner) to pursue Anna. Anna is initially uncertain about her feelings, but she soon throws caution to the wind and embarks on a passionate affair with Vronsky. However, Anna's love for the Count is strong enough that Alexei becomes keenly aware of her indiscretion, and when she discovers that she is carrying Vronsky's child, Alexei offers her two options -- she can leave Vronsky, resume her marriage, and keep the baby, or stay with Vronsky and give up her unborn child. This was at least the tenth feature-length production of Anna Karenina to reach the screen, though one of the best known appeared under a different title -- Love, starring Gretta Garbo. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A small band of radicals takes on a dangerous game of political assassination in this historical drama, based on a novel by Boris Savinkov. Near the dawn of the 20th century, with the Russian Revolution lurking on the horizon, George (Andrei Panin) is the steely leader of a group of socialists determined to bring down the Russian monarchy through any means necessary -- including violence. Working alongside George are Erna (Kseniya Rappoport), who makes bombs and has fallen deeply in love with George; Fydor (Rostislav Bershauer), a peasant who loathes the social and economic inequality of Russian society; Vanya (Artem Semakin), a philosophical type who believes revolution will allow the better side of the nation to rise to power; and Heinrich (Aleksey Kazakov), a deep thinker with an extensive education. George becomes obsessed with the notion of assassinating Grand Duke Sergey Aleksandrovich, and as the group repeatedly attempts to kill the monarch, their differences become increasingly evident as the organization splinters and the members follow different paths. The Rider Named Death (aka Vsadnik Po Imeni Smert) received its North American premiere at the 2004 Montreal Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Following in the footsteps of her father, actor-cum-director Ugo Tognazzi, and her brother, director Ricky Tognazzi, Maria Sole Tognazzi makes her helming debut with the emotionally-amped melodrama L'Uomo che ama (The Man Who Loves). At its core, the film embodies an exploration of gay-influenced heterosexual perspectives and attitudes in the early 21st century. Pierfrancesco Favino stars as Roberto, a straight Turin-based pharmacist emotionally attached to his younger brother, the homosexual Carlo (Michele Alhaique). Roberto witnesses Carlo's delirious happiness with lover Yuri (Glen Blackhall) and feels extremely envious that Carlo has found someone. Though Roberto has proven himself capable of landing successful relationships in the past - his previous lovers include sexy hotel employee Sara (Ksenia Rappoport) and the drop-dead-gorgeous art gallery proprietor Alba (Monica Bellucci) - these relationships invariably ended in heartbreak, with Roberto either being dumped (in the case of Sara) or abandoning his partner (in the case of Alba). As time rolls on, he begins to feel a palpable sense of his own lingering happiness and dissatisfaction, and attempts to reconcile this with his convictions that everyone else in the world is completely satisfied with life. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi