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AK-47 (2020 film)

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AK-47
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKonstantin Buslov
Written by
Based onLife of Mikhail Kalashnikov
Produced by
  • Konstantin Buslov
  • Sergei Bodrov
Starring
CinematographyLevan Kapanadze
Edited byMargarita Smirnova
Music bySergei Stern
Production
companies
R.B. Productions
Etalon-Film
Distributed byMegogo Distribution
Release date
  • February 21, 2020 (2020-02-21) (Russia)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryRussia
LanguageRussian
Budget₽200 million
Box office₽117 million[1]
$1,625,986[2]

AK-47 (Russian: Калашников, romanized: Kalashnikov) is a 2020 Russian biographical film about the experiences of Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the AK-47 assault rifle.[3]

The designer's daughter, Elena, and a consultant to the Kalashnikov Concern took part in the film. The director and producer of the picture is Konstantin Buslov, the film stars Yuri Borisov, Olga Lerman, Artur Smolyaninov, and Eldar Kalimulin.[4][5][6]

The premiere took place in Russia on February 20, 2020 by Megogo Distribution.[7][8]

Plot

The film begins with a sequence (supplemented by subsequent flashbacks) in which Mikhail Kalashnikov, a young farmer's son from Altai, is seen secretly working on a functional toy rifle. The film switches to the year 1941, in the midst of World War II, where the now adult senior sergeant Kalashnikov serves as a tank commander in the Red Army. During the Battle of Bryansk, Kalashnikov is seriously wounded while taking out a German anti-tank gun, and he is taken off the frontlines. While being transported to the rear, he and a companion encounter a group of German soldiers, and he witnesses his comrade's new submachine gun failing at a critical moment due to design faults in the magazine. This inspires him to use his self-acquired talent at inventing to design a new automatic weapon for the Soviet army.

On his way home, Kalashnikov visits Matai Station in Kazakhstan, where he previously worked as an engineer but was dismissed for using the depot's workshop to build his private weapon designs. He appeals to his former superior, Krotov, to let him assemble his latest invention, but Krotov refuses. When Kalashnikov proposes his design to a passing high-ranking officer named Basarov, he gets authorization to proceed, and with the help of the workers he successfully assembles his new submachine gun. While trying to bring it to Basarov, he is mistakenly arrested, but an ordnance officer takes notice of the gun's innovative design and has it sent off for evaluation. As a result, Kalashnikov is released and encouraged to present his gun to General Pavel Kurbatkin, the district commander of Central Asia, who approves him for a national arms design competition.

Kalashnikov is sent to Golutvin, the Shchurov arms testing facility, where he is to compete against prestigious arms designers like Alexey Sudayev and Sergei Korovin; there he also meets Ekaterina Moiseeva, a female design assistant and his future wife. While his weapon ultimately loses to Sudayev's gun, he is given permission to work on new designs, and his friends also encourage him to continue his work. By the time the war comes to an end, Kalashnikov has a new automatic rifle ready and is sent to the Kovrov Arms Factory to improve on it. Impatient to see if it works, and denied a test at the firing range, he conducts his own successful trial, upon which he is arrested for testing his gun in the open without authorization and brought to General Vasily Degtyaryov, a notable arms designer whom Kalashnikov considers his fiercest competitor. However, Degtyaryov, expressing his sincere respect for Kalashnikov's talent and the superiority of his design, removes himself from the competition, and tested under extreme conditions (after being immersed in water and sand), the new rifle passes. In 1949, after the first major field testing, the new weapon is approved for mass production. Kalashnikov is decorated and given an extended leave of absence, which he uses to visit his mother at his home farm along with his wife and children.

Cast

Production

The lead actor Yuri Borisov emphasizes that he actively studied the life path of his character, engaged in the search and collection of alternative sources, wishing to realize the complexity of the character of the gunsmith with his complexes and reflections.[10] According to Borisov, he personally saw Kalashnikov, and when he passed by, “something directly flew out of him and flew to me! And then I walked around the site with it”.[11]

Filming

Work on the film began in August 2018, filming was carried out, including in the Apraksins' Estate, Dmitrovsky District, Moscow Oblast, in the Republic of Crimea, in the town of Torzhok, Torzhoksky District, Tver Oblast and Shushary near Saint Petersburg, scenes with locomotives were filmed. In addition, locomotives were involved in large numbers in the Locomotive Depot of the Podmoskovnaya station when filming scenes at Matai Station (Kazakhstan Temir Zholy), where Kalashnikov began working on his first submachine gun.

Costumes and props were provided by Mosfilm Studios; they also supported in the dubbing and recording of sound. The scene of the Bryansk tank battle was filmed at the Voyenfilm cinema complex near Medyn, Medynsky District, Kaluga Oblast, using the scenery of the painting "Ilinsky frontier".

All models of weapons developed by Kalashnikov were specially restored according to drawings received from the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps in St. Petersburg.

Release

On February 15, 2020, a special screening of the film took place in the city of Izhevsk.[12] The film was theatrically released in the Russian Federation on February 20, 2020 by Megogo Distribution.

References

  1. ^ Box Office, Russian Cinema Fund
  2. ^ "Kalashnikov (2020)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  3. ^ "Калашников / AK-47 (2020)". Kinoafisha.info.
  4. ^ "Берлинский кинофестиваль прошел под флагом российского и белорусского кино". Union State. Russia-Belarus Union // rg.ru. March 4, 2020.
  5. ^ Shevelev, Aleksey (March 2, 2020). "Культурная неделя: выбор "Известий"" [Cultural week: choice of «Izvestia»] (in Russian). Izvestia. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  6. ^ Polezhaev, Mikhail (February 28, 2020). "День защитника Отечества прошел под знаком второго "Льда"" [Defender of the Fatherland Day was marked by the second Ice 2] (in Russian). Kinobusiness.com. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  7. ^ "Фильм о Михаиле Калашникове выйдет в прокат 20 февраля" [The film about Mikhail Kalashnikov will be released on February 20] (in Russian). TASS. December 30, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  8. ^ Korsakov, Denis (20 February 2020). "Ваше слово, товарищ Калашников" [Your word, comrade Kalashnikov] (in Russian). Komsomolskaya Pravda. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  9. ^ "AK-47 (2020) Full Cast / Crew". IMDb.
  10. ^ Gerasimov, Nikolay (December 28, 2019). "Премьера трейлера фильма "Калашников": Как создавался автомат №1" [The premiere of the trailer of the film Kalashnikov / AK-47: How to create a machine number 1] (in Russian). Komsomolskaya Pravda. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  11. ^ Balueva, Anna (February 20, 2020). "Фильм "Калашников": реальный лучше мифического" [The film Kalashnikov / AK-47: the real is better than the mythical] (in Russian). Sobesednik.ru. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  12. ^ Povetkin, Georgiy (February 15, 2020). "В Ижевске прошла премьера фильма, посвященного Михаилу Калашникову" [In Izhevsk, the premiere of the film dedicated to Mikhail Kalashnikov] (in Russian). TASS. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
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