Morphia

  • 102'
  • Russia
  • 2008
Morphia is based on a script by Sergei Bodrov jr. - a cult figure for Russian youth and famous as an excellent actor, director and writer, who tragically passed away a few years ago. He adapted Michail Bulgakov's autobiographical stories, A Country Doctor's Notebook, in the 1990s.
In late autumn of 1917, a young doctor arrives in the Russian countryside in the middle of nowhere. Doctor Polyakov (Leonid Bichevin) comes here from the capital during a very turbulent period (the 1917 revolution). The very first night, he is submitted to the first real test of his professionalism but fails to save a man's life. To get over this first real-life experience and to protect his own health, the doctor prescribes himself a dose of morphine. More soon follow, as he performs his first amputation, trachometry etc. What was meant as first-aid relief for difficult situations soon becomes an addiction, and the pharmacy assistant, his lover and even a companion-in-crime (Ingeborga Dapkunaite) help him all along the way.
As in Cargo 200, the decay of the body, the personality, social relations and the country are motifs running through the story. The re-creation of the past, and the film's unforgettable art direction, together with its division into chapters, reminds us of Of Freaks and Men and make the film as a whole yet another masterpiece by one of Russia's most important contemporary film makers. (LC)
  • 102'
  • Russia
  • 2008
Director
Alexei Balabanov
Premiere
International premiere
Country of production
Russia
Year
2008
Festival Edition
IFFR 2009
Length
102'
Medium
35mm
Original title
Morfiy
Language
Russian
Producer
Sergey Selyanov
Production Company
CTB Film Company
Sales
Intercinema Agency
Screenplay
Sergei Bodrov jr.
Cinematography
Alexander Simonov
Editor
Tatyana Kuzmicheva
Production Design
Pavel Parkhomento, Anastasia Kariulina
Sound Design
Mikhail Nikolaev
Cast
Leonid Bichevin, Ingeborga Dapkunaite
Director
Alexei Balabanov
Premiere
International premiere
Country of production
Russia
Year
2008
Festival Edition
IFFR 2009
Length
102'
Medium
35mm
Original title
Morfiy
Language
Russian
Producer
Sergey Selyanov
Production Company
CTB Film Company
Sales
Intercinema Agency
Screenplay
Sergei Bodrov jr.
Cinematography
Alexander Simonov
Editor
Tatyana Kuzmicheva
Production Design
Pavel Parkhomento, Anastasia Kariulina
Sound Design
Mikhail Nikolaev
Cast
Leonid Bichevin, Ingeborga Dapkunaite