Director: Alexey Batalov

Genre: Documentary

Runtime: 52'

Year: 2008

Summary: This film was made by Alexey Batalov about himself. One can call it the author’s confession. He wrote the script, and then from the screen, as a storyteller, he brilliantly narrated the adventures of his life. Disappearing behind the persona of the narrator, switching the tone of his voice, he introduces us to the world of the years of his childhood, adolescence, youth and maturity. The whole epoch opens before the audience, who learn not only the biography of the main character, but his thoughts and feelings, his heart and mind. He tells us those relevant details that build up the real life of a person. We learn about his mother and the extraordinary people who surrounded her.
It turns out that Batalov knew Anna Akhmatova quite well. She used to stay in the same apartment house when she came to Moscow. Besides, many other prominent people were guests in their home: Boris Pasternak, who read his unpublished novel “Doctor Zhivago” there, Russian poet Osip Mandelstam, writers Yury Olesha, Mikhail Zoshchenko, and many many others.
Batalov is very strict in the structure of his narrative. He thoroughly chooses fateful events of his life. Nothing more, no empty words. The film is dynamic, powerful, heart stirring and exciting.