''Yesenin'' (russian: Есенин) is a 2005 Russian biographical eleven-episode television miniseries, directorial debut of Igor Zaitsev. It outlines the conspiracy version of the death of the Russian poet

Sergei Yesenin Sergei Alexandrovich Yesenin ( rus, Сергей Александрович Есенин, p=sʲɪrˈɡʲej ɐlʲɪkˈsandrəvʲɪtɕ jɪˈsʲenʲɪn; ( 1895 – 28 December 1925), sometimes spelled as Esenin, was a Russian lyric poet. He is one o ...

. The series is based on the novel ''Yesenin. Story of a Murder'' by Vitali Bezrukov, and the main role was played by his son

Sergey Bezrukov Sergey Vitalyevich Bezrukov (russian: link=no, Серге́й Вита́льевич Безру́ков, born 18 October 1973) is a Soviet and Russian film and stage actor, singer, People's Artist of Russia, the laureate of the State Prize of th ...

Plot

The series has two parallel storylines. One takes place in the 1980s. MUR investigator Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Khlystov (prototype - Eduard Khlystalov) receives by post a posthumous photograph of

. He must conduct the business according to the law, to register and file away the letter. However, the Lieutenant-Colonel does otherwise - he begins his own investigation. Khlystov finds materials related to Yesenin's life, and also searches for direct witnesses who personally knew the poet. The further the investigation comes, the more evidence in favor of Yesenin's murder by the conspiracy of the Soviet Government. Khlystov even wants to insist on exhumation, but it turns out that this is impossible: the foundation was concreted in order to affix the monument to Yesenin on his grave. And now, when there is very little to prove the murder of Yesenin, the main witness suddenly perishes. On the same day Khlystov himself is killed in a car crash. The investigation remains unfinished. The second storyline tells about Yesenin's life from the moment of his service in the army before the funeral. The film shows the main events of the poet's life, including his military service, coming to

Petrograd Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

, becoming a poet, communicating with Russia's most important figures, traveling around the country and the world, life with

Isadora Duncan Angela Isadora Duncan (May 26, 1877 or May 27, 1878 – September 14, 1927) was an American dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance, who performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the US. Born and raised in ...

and his final years. The last day of Esenin's life is shown in detail. The fate of the people with whom Sergei Alexandrovich was directly connected is told in the scene depicting the poet's funeral.

Cast

as Sergey Yesenin * Alexandr Mikhailov as Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Evgenievich Khlystov *

Oleg Tabakov Oleg Pavlovich Tabakov (russian: Олег Павлович Табаков; 17 August 1935 – 12 March 2018) was a Soviet and Russian actor and the Artistic Director of the Moscow Art Theatre. People's Artist of the USSR (1988). Biography Tabak ...

as General Alexei Mikhailovich Simagin *Dmitry Scherbina as

Anatoly Marienhof Anatoly Borisovich Marienhof or Mariengof (russian: Анато́лий Бори́сович Мариенго́ф; 6 July (24 June O.S.) 1897 – 24 June 1962) was a Russian poet, novelist, and playwright. He was one of the leading figures of ...

Aleksandr Robak Aleksandr Removich Robak (russian: Александр Рэмович Робак; born 28 December 1973) is a Russian actor, director, film producer. He appeared in more than fifty films since 1999. One of the most popular and best Russian actors i ...

as Ivan Pribludny *

Pavel Derevyanko Pavel Yurievich Derevyanko (russian: Па́вел Ю́рьевич Деревя́нко, born 2 July 1976) is a Russian theatre and film actor. Biography Pavel Derevyanko was born in the city of Taganrog, Rostov Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Uni ...

as Alexei Ganin *

Sean Young Mary Sean Young (born November 20, 1959) is an American actress. She is particularly known for working in sci-fi films, although she has performed roles in a variety of genres. Young's early roles include the independent romance ''Jane Auste ...

Gary Busey Gary Busey (; born 1944) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Buddy Holly in ''The Buddy Holly Story'' (1978), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won the National Society of Film Critics ...

as Singer, the former husband of Duncan *Christina Popandopulo as Lola Kinel, translator * Yulia Peresild as Katerina Esenina *Denis Nikiforov as Sandro Kusikov *Maxim Lagashkin as

Aleksei Kruchenykh Aleksei Yeliseyevich Kruchyonykh (russian: Алексе́й Елисе́евич Кручёных; 9 February 1886 – 17 June 1968) was a Russian poet, artist, and theorist, perhaps one of the most radical poets of Russian Futurism, a mo ...

Kseniya Rappoport Kseniya Aleksandrovna Rappoport (russian: link=no, Ксе́ния Алекса́ндровна Раппопо́рт; born 25 March 1974) is a Russian actress. She graduated in 2000 from Saint Petersburg Academy of Theatrical Arts and was immedi ...

as Galina Benislavskaya *

Marina Zudina Marina Vyacheslavovna Zudina (russian: Марина Вячеславовна Зудина; born 3 September 1965) is a Soviet and Russian actress of theatre and cinema. Biography Early life and education Marina Vyacheslavovna Zudina was born on ...

Zinaida Reich Zinaida Nikolayevna Reich (the last name also spelled Raikh or Raih; russian: Зинаида Николаевна Райх; – 15 July 1939) was a Russian actress and one of the main stars of the Meyerhold Theatre until it was closed under Jose ...

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 ...

Alexander Tarasov-Rodionov Alexander Ignatyevich Tarasov-Rodionov (russian: Алекса́ндр Игна́тьевич Тара́сов-Родио́нов; October 7, 1885 – September 3, 1938) was a Russian/Soviet writer and revolutionary, best known for his novel "Chocol ...

*Yevgeny Koryakovsky as

Boris Pasternak Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (; rus, Бори́с Леони́дович Пастерна́к, p=bɐˈrʲis lʲɪɐˈnʲidəvʲɪtɕ pəstɛrˈnak; 30 May 1960) was a Russian poet, novelist, composer and literary translator. Composed in 1917, Pa ...

Andrey Rudensky Andrey Viktorovich Rudensky (russian: Андре́й Ви́кторович Руде́нский; born 26 January 1959) is a Soviet and Russian film and stage actor. Biography Andrey Rudensky was born in Sverdlovsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union ...

Alexander Blok Alexander Alexandrovich Blok ( rus, Алекса́ндр Алекса́ндрович Бло́к, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ɐlʲɪˈksandrəvʲɪtɕ ˈblok, a=Ru-Alyeksandr Alyeksandrovich Blok.oga; 7 August 1921) was a Russian lyrical poet, writer, publ ...

Anna Snatkina Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221 ...

as Grand Duchess Tatiana *Alexey Grishin as

Osip Mandelstam Osip Emilyevich Mandelstam ( rus, Осип Эмильевич Мандельштам, p=ˈosʲɪp ɨˈmʲilʲjɪvʲɪtɕ mənʲdʲɪlʲˈʂtam; – 27 December 1938) was a Russian and Soviet poet. He was one of the foremost members of the Acm ...

*Irina Bezrukova as Lydia Kashina * Avangard Leontiev as

Anatoly Lunacharsky Anatoly Vasilyevich Lunacharsky (russian: Анато́лий Васи́льевич Лунача́рский) (born Anatoly Aleksandrovich Antonov, – 26 December 1933) was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and the first Bolshevik Soviet People's ...

Gosha Kutsenko Yuriy Georgiyevich Kutsenko (russian: Ю́рий Гео́ргиевич Куце́нко; born 20 May 1967), better known as Gosha Kutsenko (russian: Гоша Куценко), is a Russian actor, producer, singer, poet, and screenwriter. In 2008, ...

Yakov Blumkin Yakov Grigoryevich Blumkin (russian: Я́ков Григо́рьевич Блю́мкин; 12 March 1900 – 3 November 1929) was a Left Socialist-Revolutionary, a Bolshevik, and an agent of the Cheka and the Joint State Political Directorat ...

Konstantin Khabensky Konstantin Yurievich Khabensky, PAR (russian: link=no, Константин Юрьевич Хабенский; born 11 January 1972) is a Russian actor of stage and film, director and philanthropist. From 1997 he was part of the Saint Petersbu ...

Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian ...

*Alexander Mezentsev as

Felix Dzerzhinsky Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky ( pl, Feliks Dzierżyński ; russian: Фе́ликс Эдму́ндович Дзержи́нский; – 20 July 1926), nicknamed "Iron Felix", was a Bolshevik revolutionary and official, born into Poland, Polish n ...

*Alexander Mokhov as

Mikhail Frunze Mikhail Vasilyevich Frunze (russian: Михаил Васильевич Фрунзе; ro, Mihail Frunză; 2 February 1885 – 31 October 1925) was a Bolshevik leader during and just prior to the Russian Revolution of 1917. Born in the modern-day ...

Andrey Krasko Andrey Ivanovich Krasko (russian: Андре́й Ива́нович Краско́; 10 August 1957, Leningrad, USSR — 4 July 2006, Odessa, Ukraine) was a Russian theatre and cinema actor. Andrey Krasko first experienced theatrical production a ...

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 ...

*Oleg Komarov as

Grigory Zinoviev Grigory Yevseyevich Zinoviev, . Transliterated ''Grigorii Evseevich Zinov'ev'' according to the Library of Congress system. (born Hirsch Apfelbaum, – 25 August 1936), known also under the name Ovsei-Gershon Aronovich Radomyslsky (russian: Ов ...

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' ...

Sergey Kirov Sergei Mironovich Kirov (né Kostrikov; 27 March 1886 – 1 December 1934) was a Soviet politician and Bolshevik revolutionary whose assassination led to the first Great Purge. Kirov was an early revolutionary in the Russian Empire and membe ...

*Maria Golubkina as Sophia Tolstaya * Tatyana Lutaeva as Olga Dieterichs-Tolstaya *

Yekaterina Guseva Yekaterina Konstantinovna Guseva (russian: Екатери́на Константи́новна Гу́сева; 9 July 1976) is a Russian film, theater, TV actress and singer, Meritorious Artist of Russia. She became famous for her role in the 2002 ...

as Augusta Miklashevskaya *Ekaterina Untilova as Empress Alexandra Fedorovna *Evgeny Dyatlov as

Vladimir Mayakovsky Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky (, ; rus, Влади́мир Влади́мирович Маяко́вский, , vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr vlɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvʲɪtɕ məjɪˈkofskʲɪj, Ru-Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky.ogg, links=y; – 14 Apr ...

*Peter Merkuriev as

Vsevolod Meyerhold Vsevolod Emilyevich Meyerhold (russian: Всеволод Эмильевич Мейерхольд, translit=Vsévolod Èmíl'evič Mejerchól'd; born german: Karl Kasimir Theodor Meyerhold; 2 February 1940) was a Russian and Soviet theatre ...

*Oleg Lopukhov as Vasily Nasedkin *Vladimir Goryansky as

Nikolai Klyuev Nikolai Alekseevich Klyuev ( rus, Николай Алексеевич Клюев, p=nʲɪkɐˈlaj ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ ˈklʲʉjɪf; 22 October 1884 – 23/25 October 1937), was a notable Russian poet. He was influenced by the symbolist mo ...

Daniil Spivakovsky Daniil Ivanovich Spivakovsky (russian: Даниил Иванович Спиваковский; August 28, 1969, Moscow) is a Russian film and theater actor, Honored Artist of Russia (2007). Head of the workshop of Theatre faculty of the Moscow In ...

as A. Vetlugin *Andrey Leonov as Alexander Sakharov *

Olga Krasko Olga Yuryevna Krasko () is a Russian actress, born 30 November 1981 in Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union. She has starred in Russian theater productions, and is noted that as the heroine in '' The Turkish Gambit'' (2005), she is the only female ...

as Lena, employee of the archive *

Nikolay Olyalin Nikolay Vladimiriovich Olyalin (russian: Николай Владимирович Олялин; 22 May 1941 - 17 November 2009) was a Soviet-Ukrainian actor of Russian ethnicity. Biography Early life As a child, Olyalin took drama classes at schoo ...

as Samokhin, former employee of the GPU *Yuri Sherstnev as Mikhalych, pathologist *

Valentina Telichkina Valentina Ivanovna Telichkina (russian: Валенти́на Ива́новна Тели́чкина; born January 10, 1945) is a Soviet and Russian film and stage actress. People's Artist of the Russian Federation (2009). Biography Valentina ...

as Yesenin's mother * Vitali Bezrukov as Alexander Nikitich, Yesenin's father *

Irina Apeksimova Irina Victorovna Apeksimova (russian: Ири́на Ви́кторовна Апекси́мова, born January 13, 1966, Volgograd, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, RSFSR, USSR) is a Russian stage and screen actress. She became dire ...

as Anna Berzin *Alexander Tyutin as Simagin *Sergey Perelygin as Alyoshin *Sergey Astakhov as Schneider * Aleksei Maklakov as Chagin *Nikita Tarasov as

Sergey Gorodetsky Sergey Mitrofanovich Gorodetsky (; – June 8, 1967) was a poet who lived in the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union. He was one of the founders (together with Nikolay Gumilev) of "Guild of Poets" (). He was born in Saint Petersburg, and d ...

*Sergey Kuryshev as

Grigori Rasputin Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin (; rus, links=no, Григорий Ефимович Распутин ; – ) was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man who befriended the family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, thus g ...

*Oleg Mazurov as Yakulov (not in the credits) *Mikhail Krylov as Wolf Erlich

Production

Scenes depicting Italy were shot in Odessa and the ones in Paris were filmed in Venice. Other locations included Konstantinovo, Yaroslavl, St. Petersburg and Moscow. Principal photography lasted for 155 days.

insisted that a fight scene would be written in the script specially for him. When Zaitsev was ill, Sergei Bezrukov served as director. He was also the creative producer and the one who decided to hire

for the role of

would later reprise his role as

in the 2017 TV series.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, tt0456776 Channel One Russia original programming Russian drama television series 2005 Russian television series debuts 2005 Russian television series endings 2000s Russian television series Russian television miniseries Russian biographical films Cultural depictions of Sergei Yesenin Cultural depictions of Isadora Duncan Cultural depictions of Leon Trotsky Cultural depictions of Joseph Stalin Russian biographical television series