What was the first feature movie of the Russian Empire about?
Critics praised the movie ‘Stenka Razin’ for its complicated technical approach and the fact it was filmed in Russia, though also criticized it for having a violent plot.
October 28, 1908, can be considered the birthday of сinematography in Russia. On this day, the first feature movie filmed in the Russian Empire premiered in St. Petersburg.
‘Stenka Razin’ is only seven minutes long. The script was written by Vasily Goncharov and was inspired by Dmitry Sadovnikov’s famous song, ‘From Behind the Island to the Midstream’.
According to the plot, Don Cossack and ataman Stepan Razin returns from an overseas adventure, in which he has captured a Persian princess. The movie begins with the Cossacks sailing down the Volga in boats, with Razin himself sitting on the bow, passionately embracing and kissing his captive. They celebrate the success of the campaign and the rich booty.
However, the Cossacks are worried, as they are pursued by the tsar's troops. And, the ataman, forgets about the business and starts to have fun with a beautiful woman! The Cossacks dare to conspire and slip a letter to a drunken Razin, supposedly written by the princess to her lover. The movie ends with the enraged jealous ataman throwing the princess into the Volga.
Alexander Drankov, one of the pioneers of Russian cinema, acted as a producer of the movie. He had his own film and photo studio and had already become famous for his first documentary about Leo Tolstoy.
