Director Nikolay Rybnikov: Russian cinema is just entering the realm of science fiction
Nikolay Rybnikov said Russian cinema is only just entering the realm of science fiction. The director discussed the shooting of the blockbuster "The Ninth Planet" starring Yura Borisov.
Yulduz Salimov2 min read
Director Nikolay Rybnikov believes Russian cinema is only beginning to explore science fiction. He made the statement while discussing his new film "The Ninth Planet," a sci-fi blockbuster starring Yura Borisov in the lead role.
According to Rybnikov, science fiction is "a very difficult territory that Russian cinema is only just entering now." He noted that such films will inevitably be compared with Western ones — "with their power, graphics, special effects, beauty and cinematic approach."
"In a single autumn, several science-fiction projects are coming out, and I took part in two of them."
He added that Russian cinema lacks the experience to compete with Western fantasy, but "we are very good at making our own Russian cultural codes, Russian dramaturgy and our characters."
Filming in Morocco and on Socotra
"The Ninth Planet" was shot entirely on location. Filming began in Moscow and continued at the Mosfilm studio lot, where a set for an alien base was built; the crew then spent two weeks in Morocco. From there, via the Emirates, they travelled to Yemen, to the island of Socotra, where filming lasted another two and a half weeks.
According to Rybnikov, they decided to create the image of a distant planet without relying exclusively on computer graphics. Shooting on live locations and creating graphics from scratch proved comparable in cost, so they chose practical locations.
Budgets and comparison with the West
The director noted that fantasy is ten times more expensive than drama. The cost of an audience drama or melodrama shot in Moscow starts at 130 million rubles. He also said Russian film production is not yet able to compete with foreign production, since Russian films are not admitted to the markets of other countries.
"Not able, because we are simply not allowed anywhere, we are not allowed into the markets of other countries."
Rybnikov hopes that international interest in "The Ninth Planet" may arise thanks to Yura Borisov and the depiction of science fiction.
Borisov's candidacy for the lead role was proposed by Sergey Mikhaylovich Selyanov. The actor's partners in the film were Ira Starshenbaum and Aleksey Serebryakov. According to the director, Borisov has not changed after his Oscar nomination.
Rybnikov also said he would never take on a film about maniacs: "I wouldn't want my cinema to serve as a catalyst" for awakening darkness.
Source: ria.ru
