''Taurus'' (russian: Телец, Telets) is a 2001 Russian biographical

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Alexander Sokurov Alexander Nikolayevich Sokurov, PAR (russian: link=no, Александр Николаевич Сокуров; born 14 June 1951) is a Russian filmmaker. His most significant works include a feature film, ''Russian Ark'' (2002), filmed in a s ...

, portraying

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 ...

. It is the second film in a trilogy by director Aleksandr Sokurov that began with ''Moloch'' about

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

and continued with '' The Sun'' about Japanese emperor

Hirohito Emperor , commonly known in English-speaking countries by his personal name , was the 124th emperor of Japan, ruling from 25 December 1926 until his death in 1989. Hirohito and his wife, Empress Kōjun, had two sons and five daughters; he was ...

. It was entered into the

2001 Cannes Film Festival The 54th Cannes Film Festival started on 14 May and ran until 20 May 2001. Norwegian actress and director Liv Ullmann was the Jury President. The Palme d'Or went to the Italian film ''The Son's Room'' by Nanni Moretti. The festival opened with ...

Plot

In the face of illness, the historical personality turns out to be simply a man powerless to change anything in the fate of a country that is not yet under his control, the fate of his doomed awkward family, or the fate of his decaying personality.

Cast

Leonid Mozgovoy Leonid (russian: Леонид ; uk, Леонід ; be, Леанід, Ljeaníd ) is a Slavic version of the given name Leonidas. The French version is Leonide. People with the name include: *Leonid Andreyev (1871–1919), Russian playwright a ...

* Mariya Kuznetsova as Krupskaya * Sergei Razhuk as

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...

* Natalya Nikulenko as Sister * Lev Yeliseyev as Doctor * Nikolai Ustinov as Pacoly

Awards

* 2001 Russian Guild of Film Critics Awards: **Best Film, Best Director (

), Best Female Actor ( Mariya Kuznetsova), Best Male Actor (

), Best Screenplay (

Yuri Arabov Yuri Nikolaevich Arabov (russian: Юрий Николаевич Арабов) (born 25 October 1954) is a Russian screenwriter, writer, poet and educator. He is known for his long-lasting collaboration with Alexander Sokurov. He is an Honored Art ...

), Best Director of Photography (

Aleksei Rodionov Aleksei Borisovich Rodionov (russian: Алексей Борисович Родионов; born April 26, 1947) is a Russian cinematographer. Filmography * '' Farewell'' (1983) * ''Among Grey Stones'' (1983) * ''Come and See'' (1985) * ''Orlando ...

) and Best Art Direction (Natalia Kochergina) Other awards and nominations include: * Grand Prix and Award for Leonid Mozgovoy and Mariya Kuznetsova, "Window to Europe" Festival of Russian Cinema at

Vyborg Vyborg (; rus, Вы́борг, links=1, r=Výborg, p=ˈvɨbərk; fi, Viipuri ; sv, Viborg ; german: Wiborg ) is a town in, and the administrative center of, Vyborgsky District in Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It lies on the Karelian Isthmus ne ...

, Russia, 2001 * Russian State Prize to Aleksandr Sokurov and Y. Arabov, Russia, 2001 * Gold Griffon Award,

Festival of Festivals, St. Petersburg The Festival of Festivals in Saint Petersburg is Russia’s largest non-competitive festival of recent outstanding works of international and Russian cinema. It is held annually in June, during Saint Petersburg's White Nights Festival. History ...

, Russia, 2001 * Best Director, Aleksandr Sokurov, and Press Award for the film, at Vivat, Russian Cinema FF, St. Petersburg, 2001 * Best Male Lead, Leonid Mozgovoy,

Listapad Listapad ( be, Лістапад, ''meaning "November"''), also known as Minsk International Film Festival (MIFF) or Minsk International Film Festival Listapad, is an annual film festival which takes place in November in Minsk, Belarus. It is th ...

IFF,

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...

, Belarus, 2001 * Special Mention, Mariya Kuznetsova, Sozvezdie (Constellation) IFF,

Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk (, ; rus, Арха́нгельск, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk), also known in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies o ...

, Russia, 2001 * Special Prize, Festival of Russian Film in

Honfleur Honfleur () is a commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. It is located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie. The people that inhabit Honf ...

, France, 2001 * Best Fiction Film, Best Director, Best Male Lead, Best Female Lead, Best Script, Best Camera, Best Production Design,

Nika Awards 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 ...

, Russia, 2002 * Best Film, Best Director, Best Camera, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Script, Best Production Design, National Award Golden Ram, Russia, 2002 * Best Film, Best Actor, Best Script, Best Production Design, Bronze Horseman, the Professional Awards of the Lenfilm Studio, Russia, 2001

References

External links

* 2001 films 2001 drama films 2001 biographical drama films Russian biographical drama films Films directed by Alexander Sokurov Lenfilm films 2000s Russian-language films Films about Vladimir Lenin Cultural depictions of Vladimir Lenin Cultural depictions of Joseph Stalin {{bio-film-stub