Mary Pickford the pioneer

Russia, 1995

PALMA, «VGIK» (All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography), Lentelefilm

90 minutes

Tragi-comedy

Retro-style tragic-comedy. The action takes place in the USSR of the 20’s. A Soviet pioneer (a member of the official children’s communist organization) Shura Klimova dreams of becoming a movie star as famous as, America’s pet and pioneer of Hollywood, Mary Pickford. Shura’s local pioneer organization condemn her, her fellow pioneers pick «Pioneer Klimova» to pieces for individualism, but nothing can reconcile the girl and take away her dream. The film was started at Odessa Filming Studios in 1977, was then suspended by the State Committee of Cinematography, and finished only in 1995.

Prizes and Awards

1996

Prize at the Festival of the Artek «films for children» nomination «Best girl-actress»

Special prize of Khanzhonkov’s House «For devotion to the traditions of romantic cinema» – to director Vladimir Levin (film festival «To love cinema!»)

CREW

• Vladimir Levin (Film director, Producer)
• Nina Allahverdova (Script)
• Evgeny Grigoryev (Script)
• Vladimir Klimov (Director of photography)
• Andrey Sigle (Composer)
• Oksana Kazakova (Art Director)
• Valery Yevtushenko (Producer)

CAST

• Maria Vinogradova
• Olya Yevtushenko
• Vera Voronkova
• Konstantin Chepurin
• Kseniya Sevastianova
• Ivan Ryzhov
• Alexei Buldakov
• Gennady Matveyev
• Mark Rudinshtein
• Alexander Zuyev
• Nadezhda Matushkina