SERKO
The script has been created by the work “Serko” written by Jean-Louis Gouraud. This work relates to the historical fact about a horse race carried out by a Cossack - Dmitry Peshkov. He passed 9 thousand kilometers for 200 days from Saint-Petersburg to Blagoveshensk. Tsar Alexander the Third awarded the rider and his faithful horse was taken to the tsar’s stable with honour. As per the precedent, the record had not been broken till the present day. Thus, the historical truth occurred to be the core of the novel “Serko” and later was made a film version by a French producer Joel Farges.
“First of all it is the horse that deserves admiration – said Jean Louis Gouraud, the author of a novel, - that is why I gave name Serko to the novel”. The main character – a Cossack, named Dmitry Peshkov (performed by Aleksey Chadov), was making such a long trip to bow from the waist to the kind Tsar. His hope was to obtain justice in regard to Evenk people, who suffered from humiliation and extortion, caused by Tsar’s officials. Serko became a friend and a fellow-sufferer of a restless young traveler. Serko was a small horse of a Manchurian breed, who could stand a severe frost, living on steppe plants.
Dmitry and Serko met Evenk, Buryat and Manchuria people while traveling this long way and then got into the settlement of the Old Believers, lost in the backwoods. The hero learned about culture and traditions of small nations, who lived separately from civilization, who sacredly believed in the power of nature and worship their idols. Having passed the whole Russia of the end of the XIX century from Amur River, through Baikal and Siberia, Dmitry and Serko reached Russian Tsar’s residence. The danger surrounds young Peshkov everywhere, - the boundless ice cover of the Baikal Lake, wild animals and depth of the forests, but also people bacame dangerous to him. The government representatives, namely governor Korsakov (performed by Andrey Astrakhantsev) could not allow the boy to meet the Tsar. Otherwise the Tsar would learn of all the dirty deeds, made on the Governor’s ground. The young hero could be surely lost in the Siberian forest thicket but for the happy meeting with a Frenchman – Emile Fragonard (Jacques Gamblin). Emile Fragonard, a great Wizard and illusionist, quack, a master of ghosts and speaking dolls, was wandering around the world.
When the young hero had started his journey for seeking the truth the Fragonard’s carriage had crossed the Russian-Chinese frontier at the same time in the hope of conquering the Russian empire by his magic… The young adventurer saved the artist from the certain death and then was saved by Fragonard in his turn… Thus, this is the beginning of this crazy story, full of dangerous events.
The Idea
“The history of our country is rich in unique events. I wish Russian cinematographers could be the first who paid attention to such an exciting plot about Dmitry Peshkov, – said producer Andrey Siegle, – but because of this work we will find Russian heroes again, worth pride”. Russia in the end of the XIX century will be shown as some fabulous country - the image that was created by the producer Joel Farges. He is leading his fairy character through this country. Dmitry Peshkov was a child in the beginning of the story – his father’s roof kept him from the evil, he had not ever scared from death, hunger, he did not know treason, bitterness about loss of a friend, woman’s love. Because of all the ordeals that fell to his lot he came home a completely grown-up person. His trip was a meeting with unknown, a story of becoming grown-up. “We consider this project the necessary one – said Andrey Siegle. – The audience is tired of gloomy works and missing bright and romantic beauty - the film for the whole family”.
Shooting
The work “Serko” has been the one of the largest film projects for the last ten years on the territory of Russia, which France take part in. “Our aim was not to be “unique”. We had a story to realize, – said producer Catherine Dussart, - we did not think of all the difficulties, which could appear. First of all we were amazed with the Russian actors’ performance, both - the main character, played by Aleksey Chadov and actors from the Russian regions, from local theatres of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude”.
“Our cooperation with the CDP French Studio and producer Catherine Dussart has started with the work “The Ugly Swans” by Konstantin Lopushansky, - said Andrey Siegle, - and this way of cooperation gives an opportunity to integrate the Russian and European cinematograph”. The shooting started in March of 2005 in Irkutsk city, at the Baikal Lake, where the episodes of traveling were shot. Then the shooting group moved to Saint-Petersburg, where the climax scenes of hero’s arrival to the tsar’s residence were made and also the material related to the theatre plays of monsieur Fragonard… Afterwards the shooting group will move to Ulan-Ude, where they will work at the episodes, concerned with the home places of Dmitry Peshkov. The premiere is planned for the end of March 2006 - the Eve of Easter Holidays in France.
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