Marina Saloptshenko Movies

The Chekhovian Zwty Kalenduly is a tragicomedy inspired by The Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard, which are both written in the style of the "datcha drama" ("datcha" meaning "country house" in Russian). The story takes place in the "datcha" of Protassov, a poet who belonged to the Soviet aristocracy. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the poet also died, leaving behind his 80-year-old wife, his daughter Serafima and three granddaughters. Times have changed, and the family must struggle for survival. Serafima is determined to prevent her mother from donating the "datcha" and its property to a minor museum dedicated to the poet. Her three daughters, each from a different marriage, deal with the situation in various ways. One rejects reality, the other wants to immigrate to the U.S., while the third would like to keep the family nest. The potential buyer of the estate is a perfect representative of the 'New Russian'. The story follows the slow death of an aristocratic family using their datcha as the center of the changes in their fortunes; the film describes the life of three generations with intelligent humor and extravagant costumes. Zwty Kalenduly was screened at the International Forum of New Cinema section of the 49th Berlin Film Festival, 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide