The Thief (1997 film)
Encyclopedia
The Thief is a 1997 Russia
n drama film
written and directed by Pavel Chukhrai
. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
and won the Nika Award
for Best Picture and Best Directing. Also winner of the International Youth Jury's prize, the President of the Italian Senate's Gold Medal, and the UNICEF Award at the 1997 Venice Film Festival
.
The film is about a young woman, Katya (Yekaterina Rednikova
), and her son Sanya (Misha Philipchuk) who in 1946 meet a veteran Soviet officer named Tolyan (Vladimir Mashkov
). Katya falls in love with Tolyan, who turns out to be a professional criminal, but who also becomes a father figure to Sanya.
Soviet Union during the late 1940s through the early 1950s. While on a train, the two meet a handsome, rakish officer, Tolyan, who seduces the mother. Katya stays with Tolyan who pretends to be woman's husband and acts a stepfather to Sanya, who is at first highly distrustful of the man, resenting his presence and authority. Allusions to Hamlet
are made.
Through his good looks, perceived generosity, and his appearance as a war veteran, Tolyan charms his way into a variety of lucrative positions. Katya and Sanya both realize the harsh and increasingly abusive nature of the new head of their family, but while alarmed, neither mother nor child seem willing to leave the man. The extent of Tolyan's love for his new family remains ambiguous throughout the film and provides one of the more compelling elements of the story.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
written and directed by Pavel Chukhrai
Pavel Chukhrai
Pavel Grigorovich Chukhrai is a Russian film director, son of Grigori Chukhrai. His most successful film to date was The Thief , nominated to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and winning the Nika Award for Best Picture and Best Directing.-References:...
. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
and won the Nika Award
Nika Award
The Nika Award is a prestigious annual ceremony held by the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences which was established in 1987 in Moscow, Russia by Yuli Gusman, and ostensibly modelled on the Academy Awards . Russian Academy Award takes its name from Nike, the goddess of victory...
for Best Picture and Best Directing. Also winner of the International Youth Jury's prize, the President of the Italian Senate's Gold Medal, and the UNICEF Award at the 1997 Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
.
The film is about a young woman, Katya (Yekaterina Rednikova
Yekaterina Rednikova
Yekaterina Rednikova is a Russian theatre and film actress, best known for her roles in films including The Thief and The Man of No Return.-Selected filmography:* Babnik...
), and her son Sanya (Misha Philipchuk) who in 1946 meet a veteran Soviet officer named Tolyan (Vladimir Mashkov
Vladimir Mashkov
Vladimir Lvovich Mashkov is a Russian actor best known to Western audiences for his work in the 2001 film Behind Enemy Lines. Mashkov has also worked as a film director, producer and writer for the 2004 Russian film "Papa".-Theatre work:...
). Katya falls in love with Tolyan, who turns out to be a professional criminal, but who also becomes a father figure to Sanya.
Plot
Katya, a poor and desperate widow and her young son, Sanya, try to survive in the post-World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Soviet Union during the late 1940s through the early 1950s. While on a train, the two meet a handsome, rakish officer, Tolyan, who seduces the mother. Katya stays with Tolyan who pretends to be woman's husband and acts a stepfather to Sanya, who is at first highly distrustful of the man, resenting his presence and authority. Allusions to Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
are made.
Through his good looks, perceived generosity, and his appearance as a war veteran, Tolyan charms his way into a variety of lucrative positions. Katya and Sanya both realize the harsh and increasingly abusive nature of the new head of their family, but while alarmed, neither mother nor child seem willing to leave the man. The extent of Tolyan's love for his new family remains ambiguous throughout the film and provides one of the more compelling elements of the story.
Cast
- Vladimir MashkovVladimir MashkovVladimir Lvovich Mashkov is a Russian actor best known to Western audiences for his work in the 2001 film Behind Enemy Lines. Mashkov has also worked as a film director, producer and writer for the 2004 Russian film "Papa".-Theatre work:...
as Tolyan - Yekaterina RednikovaYekaterina RednikovaYekaterina Rednikova is a Russian theatre and film actress, best known for her roles in films including The Thief and The Man of No Return.-Selected filmography:* Babnik...
as Katya - Misha Philipchuk as Sanya (as Misha Filipchuk)
- Amaliya Mordvinova as Doctor's Wife
- Lidiya Savchenko as Baba Tanya
- Yuliya Artamonova as Engineer's Wife
- Yuri Belyayev as Sanya (at 48 years old)
- Dmitri Chigaryov as Sanya (at 12 years old)
Won
- SozvezdieSozvezdieJSC Concern Sozvezdie is the leading Russian developer and manufacturer of electronic warfare, radio communications, electronic countermeasures systems and equipment.The organization is headquartered in Voronezh....
1997:- Best Actor - Vladimir MashkovVladimir MashkovVladimir Lvovich Mashkov is a Russian actor best known to Western audiences for his work in the 2001 film Behind Enemy Lines. Mashkov has also worked as a film director, producer and writer for the 2004 Russian film "Papa".-Theatre work:...
- Best Actor - Vladimir Mashkov
- Venice Film FestivalVenice Film FestivalThe Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
1997:- Prize of the International Youth Jury - Pavel Chukhraj
- President of the Italian Senate's Gold Medal - Pavel Chukhraj
- UNICEF Award - Pavel Chukhraj
- Open CIS and Baltik Film Festival 1997:
- Best Actor - Vladimir MashkovVladimir MashkovVladimir Lvovich Mashkov is a Russian actor best known to Western audiences for his work in the 2001 film Behind Enemy Lines. Mashkov has also worked as a film director, producer and writer for the 2004 Russian film "Papa".-Theatre work:...
- Best Director - Pavel Chukhraj
- Prize of the Distributors Jury - Pavel Chukhraj
- Best Actor - Vladimir Mashkov
- Nika AwardsNika AwardThe Nika Award is a prestigious annual ceremony held by the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences which was established in 1987 in Moscow, Russia by Yuli Gusman, and ostensibly modelled on the Academy Awards . Russian Academy Award takes its name from Nike, the goddess of victory...
1998:- Best Actor - Vladimir MashkovVladimir MashkovVladimir Lvovich Mashkov is a Russian actor best known to Western audiences for his work in the 2001 film Behind Enemy Lines. Mashkov has also worked as a film director, producer and writer for the 2004 Russian film "Papa".-Theatre work:...
- Best Actress - Ekaterina Rednikova
- Best Director - Pavel Chukhraj
- Best Film - Pavel Chukhraj and Igor Tolstunov
- Best Music - Vladimir DashkevichVladimir DashkevichVladimir Sergeevich Dashkevich is a Russian composer, known mainly for his film music. Originally he studied chemical technology but later studied music under Aram Khachaturian. He achieved prominence in Russia for his music for the series of films "Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson", as well as...
- Best Actor - Vladimir Mashkov
- Young Artist Award 1998:
- Best Young Performer in a Foreign Film - Misha Philipchuk
Nominated
- Venice Film FestivalVenice Film FestivalThe Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
1997:- Golden Lion - Pavel Chukhraj
- European Film Awards 1997:
- Best Film - Igor Tolstunov
- Golden Globe AwardGolden Globe AwardThe Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
- Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film - RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
- Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film - Russia
- Academy Award 1998:
- Oscar Award for Best Foreign Language Film - RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
- Oscar Award for Best Foreign Language Film - Russia
- Nika AwardsNika AwardThe Nika Award is a prestigious annual ceremony held by the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences which was established in 1987 in Moscow, Russia by Yuli Gusman, and ostensibly modelled on the Academy Awards . Russian Academy Award takes its name from Nike, the goddess of victory...
1998:- Best Cinematographer - Vladimir KlimovVladimir KlimovVladimir Klimov is a Soviet sprint canoer who competed in the early 1970s. He won a bronze medal in the K-4 10000 m event at the 1971 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Belgrade.-References:**...
- Best Costume Designer - Natalya Moneva
- Best Production Designer - Viktor PetrovViktor PetrovViktor Petrov was a prominent Ukrainian existentialist writer. He signed his works with pen names Viktor Domontovych and Viktor Ber . Together with Valerian Pidmohylny Petrov is considered to be the founder of the Ukrainian intellectual novel. Although Petrov is remembered as a writer today,...
- Best Screenplay - Pavel Chukhraj
- Best Sound - Yuliya Yegorova
- Best Cinematographer - Vladimir Klimov
- Goya AwardsGoya AwardsThe Goya Awards, known in Spanish as los Premios Goya, are Spain's main national film awards, considered by many in Spain, and internationally, to be the Spanish equivalent of the American Academy Awards....
1999:- Best European Film - Pavel Chukhraj