Support The Moscow Times!

The Year's Best in Cinema: "The Frenchman"

Andrei Smirnov's evocative film about the 1950s was autumn's hit.

Antoine Rival as the French exchange student WDSSPR

“The Frenchman,” directed by Andrei Smirnov – famed for his films “Belorussian Station” and “Autumn” – is an utterly captivating glimpse back in time to the year 1957 when a young French Communist student comes to Moscow on academic exchange. His topic is the ballet, but his real mission is to find his father, an aristocrat who disappeared into the camps in the 1930s. Shot in black and white, it follows Pierre to underground jazz clubs and apartment art shows, drinking vodka “in threes” with a local drunkard, falling in love with a haughty ballerina, and searching for his lost father. Camp survivors, poverty, privilege, fun, informants and tragedy that is somehow filled with hope.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more