DCSIMG
 
 

Oleg Shtefanko Movies

2007  
 
The "code" in question refers to a pivotal telephone number - 11 digits that, when dialed, will trigger a global apocalypse by instantly setting off catastrophic nuclear devices in four metropolises around the world. As this Russian-language thriller opens, two individuals find their lives, and futures, at the mercy of "The Code"; FSB Agent Darya (Anastasiya Zavorotnyuk) sets out to defuse the devices in question and render the 11 digits ineffective, while the psychotic Louis Devier (Vincent Perez) wants nothing less than to attain those elusive numbers and use them to completely wipe humankind from the face of the Earth. These two embark on a head-to-head conflict, in a transcontinental race against time that will carry each through such exotic locales as Norway, Malaysia and Italy. Moreover, the stakes are not simply political, but personal: Louis caused significant emotional and psychological grief for Darya by murdering her lover. Nevertheless, Darya is forbidden from enacting vengeance, and must focus exclusively on her mission at hand, however difficult the task. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

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Starring:
Vincent PerezAnastasiya Zavorotnyuk, (more)
 
1989  
 
Fans of Russian history will particularly enjoy this satirical political analogy, by director Sergey Ovtcharov which has been compared to earlier film classics such as Repentance and Zelig. Those without the requisite background may be somewhat mystified by it. The story is based on an 1870 novel by Mikhail Saltykov-Schtchedrin, which uses a long and involved tale about the history of one town as an allegory for the Russian nation as a whole. The entire story of the novel is retained in this film, which updates it by including similarly meaningful events in the village from 1870 through to the present. One highlight of the film is the performance of Rolan Bykov as Piotr Ferdystchenko, one of the town's mayors, who undergoes three metamorphoses symbolizing respectively Lenin, Stalin and Khruschev. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

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Starring:
Rolan BykovNatalya Gundareva, (more)