Bulat-Batır

Bulat-Batır
Bulat-Batır
Directed by	Yuri Tarich; Vladimir Korsh-Sablin
Written by	Natan Zarhi; Abdraxman Şakirov
Starring	Vasiliy Yaroslavtsev; Ada Vojtsik; Ivan Klyukvin; Galina Kravchenko
Cinematography	Grigori Giber, N. Sokolov, Vladimir Solodnikov (II)
Distributed by	Sovkino; Tatkino
Release date	1928;
Country	Soviet Union
Languages	- = Silent film; Russian intertitles; Tatar intertitles

Bulat-Batır or Bulat-batyr (Russian: Була́т-Баты́р, Tatar: بولات باتر) is a 1928 silent historical drama film, believed to be the first Tatar film and probably the only Tatar full-length feature silent film. The film was shot mostly in Kazan, and the Kazan Kremlin was one of its stills. The film is devoted to the Pugachev rebellion and its alternative names include Pugachyovshchina (Russian: Пугачёвщина), Flames on Volga and Revolt in Kazan.^[1]

The story was written by Abdraxman Şakirov, a young Communist from Agryz and the script was written by Natan Zarhi, a Soviet scenario writer.

Plot

In the 18th century, a small Tatar village celebrates the Sabantuy festival. Orthodox monks accompanied by soldiers appear to forcibly baptize the population of the village. Locals resist and soldiers commit a punitive action. The wife of peasant Bulat is killed by soldiers, his son Asfan is carried off. Bulat stays alone with another son, Asma. 15 years after Bulat and Asma joined the Pugachev rebellion and Bulat became famous as a defender of paupers. But his son Asfan, who was reared among nobles, received a commission and led a punitive force directed to suppress a rebellion in his motherland.

Cast

Vasiliy Yaroslavtsev as Bulat-Batır
Ada Vojtsik as Asma
Ivan Klyukvin as Asfan
Galina Kravchenko as Elena von Brandt
Naum Rogozhin as von Kanits
Ivan Arkanov as Suleiman Murza
Nikolai Vitovtov as Derzhavin
Alexandr Zhukov as Timur
Boris Yurtsev as Murat
Eduard Kulganek as general Potyomkin
Mstislav Kotelnikov as Beloborodov, emissary of Pugachov
Tatyana Barysheva as genius of victory
Kayum Pozdnyakov
Lev Ivanov as Kayum
Stepan Borisov as Yemelyan Pugachev

Critical reception

It is known that after the premiere in Germany one White émigré Antonov-Ivanov attempted to burn a copy of the film in the "Concordia" cinema as a sign of protest against "Bolshevik Propaganda".^[2]

The film received a positive review from The New York Times praising it for the authentic atmosphere.^[3] Bryher praised the scenery and the cinematography.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Bryher (1922). Film Problems Of Soviet Russia. Riant Chateau TERRITET Switzerland. pp. 109–111.
^ "Beginning of December. Berlin". No. 50. Kino. 11 December 1928. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2021. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
^ "TARTARS' REVOLT SHOWN.; "Flames on Volga" a Vivid Picture of Catherine the Great's Days". The New York Times.

External links

Bulat-Batır at IMDb
(in Russian) Кино-Театр.РУ
(in Russian) "Республика Татарстан". Восемьдесят ярких страниц истории

This article related to a Soviet film of the 1920s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This article about a silent drama film from the 1920s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[bryher-1] Bryher (1922). Film Problems Of Soviet Russia. Riant Chateau TERRITET Switzerland. pp. 109–111.

[2] "Beginning of December. Berlin". No. 50. Kino. 11 December 1928. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2021. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)

[3] "TARTARS' REVOLT SHOWN.; "Flames on Volga" a Vivid Picture of Catherine the Great's Days". The New York Times.

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