''Once Upon a Time There Lived a Simple Woman'' (russian: Жила-была одна баба, translit=Zhila-byla odna baba) is a 2011 film directed and written by Andrey Smirnov. It tells the story of a Russian peasant woman between 1909 and 1921. The film was funded by the
Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation
The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation () is a ministry of the Government of Russia responsible for state policy in cultural spheres such as art, cinematography, archives, copyright, cultural heritage, and censorship.
Olga Lyubimo ...
The film is divided into two parts, and begins and ends with images of a flooded village and church under water. Varvara (played by
Darya Ekamasova
Darya Nikolaevna Ekamasova (russian: Дарья Николаевна Екамасова; born 20 May 1984) is a Russian theater and film actress. Her film credits include ''Once Upon a Time There Lived a Simple Woman'' (2011), '' Free Floating' ...
), a peasant woman from
Tambov Governorate
Tambov Governorate was an administrative unit of the Russian Empire, Russian Republic, and later the Russian SFSR, centred around the city of Tambov. The governorate was located between 51°14' and 55°6' north and between 38°9' and 43°38' east ...
of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
, is married off to a peasant man, who sexually and physically abuses her. The couple live with the husband's family at their
khutor
A khutor ( rus, хутор, p=ˈxutər) or khutir ( uk, хутiр, pl. , ''khutory'') is a type of rural locality in some countries of Eastern Europe; in the past the term mostly referred to a single-homestead settlement.
, who also treat Varvara badly. One day, her father-in-law tries to force himself on her, and she pushes him away. He strikes his head on a stone and dies. Varvara and her husband move to another khutor, quite rundown, and set about making it habitable. Varvara soon gives birth to a daughter. However, the onset of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
leads to turmoil – and Varvara and her child are separated from her husband. Varvara is forced from her khutor, but eventually successfully returns. However, the civil war that follows the
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and ad ...
leads to much hardship. During this time, Varvara is
rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
d more than once, but also finds solace in the arms of a kinder man. However this man and many other villagers are executed by the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
during the
Tambov Rebellion
The Tambov Rebellion of 1920–1921 was one of the largest and best-organized peasant rebellions challenging the Bolshevik government during the Russian Civil War. The uprising took place in the territories of the modern Tambov Oblast and part ...
. In the final scene of the movie, the entire village with people is flooded by water, apparently after destruction of a nearby dam, as an allegory to the Russian city of
Kitezh
Kitezh (russian: Ки́теж) is a legendary and mythical city beneath the waters of Lake Svetloyar in the Voskresensky District of the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in central Russia. Reference to Kitezh appears for the first time in ''Kitezh Chronicle ...
.
Cast
*
Darya Ekamasova
Darya Nikolaevna Ekamasova (russian: Дарья Николаевна Екамасова; born 20 May 1984) is a Russian theater and film actress. Her film credits include ''Once Upon a Time There Lived a Simple Woman'' (2011), '' Free Floating' ...
- Varvara
*
Nina Ruslanova
Nina Ivanovna Ruslanova (russian: Нина Ивановна Русланова; 5 December 1945 – 21 November 2021) was a Soviet and Russian theater and film actress. She was honored as a People's Artist of Russia (1998).Roman Madyanov
Roman Sergeevich Madyanov (russian: Рома́н Серге́евич Мадя́нов; born July 22, 1962) is a Soviet and Russian actor. Madyanov's career in cinema began as a child actor when he starred as Huckleberry Finn in ''Hopelessly Lost' ...
Vsevolod Shilovsky
Vsevolod Nikolaevich Shilovsky (russian: Все́волод Никола́евич Шило́вский; born June 3, 1938, Moscow ) is a Soviet and Russian film and theater actor, film director, People's Artist of the RSFSR (1986). He was awarded ...
- father of Eremey
*
Evdokiya Germanova
Evdokiya Germanova (russian: Евдокия Алексеевна Германова; born 8 November 1959) is a Russian actress, stage director and drama teacher.
Biography
Evdokiya Germanova is the daughter of Aleksey Germanov, a professor o ...
Aleksey Shevchenkov
Aleksey Vladimirovich Shevchenkov (russian: Алексе́й Влади́мирович Шевче́нков) is a Russian actor. Merited Artist of the Russian Federation (2006). He appeared in 130 films.
Biography
Aleksey was born on November 2 ...
- Malafey
*
Ivan Bortnik
Ivan Sergeyevich Bortnik (russian: link=no, Иван Сергеевич Бортник; 16 April 1939 – 4 January 2019Vladimir Fyodorov - fool
*
Lyudmila Polyakova
Lyudmila Petrovna Polyakova (russian: Людми́ла Петро́вна Поляко́ва; born January 28, 1939, Moscow) is a Soviet and Russian actress; she is a People's Artist of Russia (1999).
Biography
She graduated in 1964 from the M ...
- Paramonovna
*Agrippina Steklova - Panka
*
Vitali Kishchenko
Vitali Eduardovich Kishchenko (russian: Вита́лий Эдуа́рдович Ки́щенко; born May 25, 1964) is a Soviet and Russian actor. Merited Artist of the Russian Federation
Merited Artist of the Russian Federation (russian: l ...
- Head of Special Department
*
Yuri Shevchuk
Yuri Yulianovich Shevchuk (russian: Юрий Юлианович Шевчук; born 16 May 1957) is a Soviet and Russian rock musician and singer/songwriter who leads the rock band DDT, which he founded with Vladimir Sigachyov in 1980.
He is bes ...
- Ishin, commander of the Antonov detachment
*Yola Sanko - the aunt Chumanykh
*Dmitry Poddubny - Ataman
*Oleg Kozhevnikov - the son of Barbara
Director's intentions
Smirnov has stated that his intention in making the film was to show what really happened under
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 19 ...
, who said he wanted to tackle the problem of "
landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, land, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant (also a ''lessee'' or ''renter''). When a juristic person is in this position, the ...
s and
capitalist
Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, priva ...
s. In reality, none of these classes suffered percentage wise as much as the two most hated by Lenin, the
peasantry
A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasants ...
and
clergy
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
. I really wanted to tell people about this. I am an urban dweller and it took me years to get deep into the theme of the Antonov Uprising."
In an interview with Larisa Malyukova for ''
Novaya Gazeta
''Novaya Gazeta'' ( rus, Новая газета, t=New Gazette, p=ˈnovəjə ɡɐˈzʲetə) is an independent Russian newspaper known for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs. It is published in Mo ...
'' in 2008, Smirnov tackled the idea of nationalism for his planned film: "I think that this motion picture should not contain a sugarcoated idealization of the nation, nor scandalous disclosures. There are pros and cons. But most importantly, it seems to me that the film has such a love for Russia in it, but not a patriot’s fanfares. Love as a synonym for pain." Regarding the cinematography, he added: "the look of the film is based on canvases of the Association of Wanderers. The frame itself dictates a style reminiscent of Myasoedov,
Perov Perov (russian: Перов, from ''перо'' meaning ''feather'' or ''nib'') is a Russian masculine surname, its feminine counterpart is Perova. Notable people with the surname include:
* Aleksandr Perov (cyclist) (born 1955), Soviet cyclist
* A ...
Nika Award
The Nika Award (sometimes styled NIKA Award) is the main annual national film award in Russia, presented by the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Science, and seen as the national equivalent of the Oscars.
History
The award was established i ...