The Best Russian Movies: The List to See on Vacation

Russian cinema is one of the most influential in all of Europe.

From the timid and yet daring beginnings of tsarist times to Stalinist propaganda films, in which artists still managed to inoculate their creativity in unique details to the current blockbusters, today we take you on a journey among the best Russian films.

A virtual journey awaits you through an area full of special meanings, with which history has not always been generous, but which has excelled in art, culture, and emotion transcribed on film. See below which are the best Russian movies!

The best Russian movies of all time

Of course, the list of the best Russian movies of all time is subjective and you may not find your favorite among the titles below, but this is exactly its charm. We have collected films appreciated by the public and critics and we recommend them below!

Leviathan (2014)

Oscar-nominated and a Golden Globe winner for Best Foreign Language Film, Leviathan is thrilled to tell a story that is characteristic of contemporary Russia. A poor but proud man opposes a corrupt mayor who wants to demolish his house following an abuse of power.

Hiring a Moscow lawyer with his meager resources, Kolya does not know that trouble will begin for him now. The film was hailed as a "brutal Russian masterpiece" by critics of The Sunday Morning Herald and is widely acclaimed.

Russian Ark (2002)

Records are flowing for this incredibly beautiful film, which attests to why the Russians are considered the misunderstood artists of Europe. "Russian Ark," tells the story of a faceless narrator, a ghost that roams the endless rooms of the beautiful Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, presenting over 300 years of history through the voice of a cynical and extremely intelligent count, a kind of devil's advocate.

The film directed by Aleksandr Sokurov is shot in a single frame, a premiere for Russian cinema, and was presented at Cannes, being nominated for the prestigious Palme d'Or.

The Barber of Siberia (1998)

At the end of the 19th century, a Russian cadet falls in love with a beautiful American woman, and their love story puts their lives in danger. Music, poetry is captured in images of special sensitivity and so much lyricism, that we are sure that Hollywood would feel ashamed. Julia Ormond shines in her career, and the great actor Richard Harris is also present in the film directed and produced by the Oscar-winning team, composed of Nikita Mikhalkov and Michel Seydoux. One of the most beautiful Russian movies of all time!

Moscow does not believe in tears (1980)

If you live with the impression that Russian films from the Soviet period could only be childish platonic love stories or communist propaganda films, this jewel, winner of the Oscar for best foreign film, appears.

One of the best Russian movies to see in a lifetime tells the story of three young women trying to break through, their efforts, dreams, and disappointments, but also some late love stories that will fill your soul with nostalgia and tenderness.

The best Russian war movies

The threat of war has always floated ominously over the heads of Russia's people, so it's no wonder that Eastern Europeans are specialists in making the best Russian war films. Here are some titles!

Turkish Gambit (2005)

Spies, love, a drop of war, and a lot of intrigues: here is the recipe for a movie that you will enjoy in one breath. Inspired by a novel written by Boris Akunin, part of a popular series, "Turkish Gambit" stars Erast Petrovich Fandorin and is set in the context of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878.

When he meets the beautiful Varvara, who, like him, is trying to get to Russia to meet her fiancé, our hero falls in love against his will. But he knows, at the same time, that there is a spy nearby, and that he can be anyone, including his chosen one.

War and Peace (1966)

When it comes to one of the most famous books of all time, it's no wonder the screenplay impresses. There have been countless film translations of Tolstoy's novel, but if you are looking for authenticity, the Russian version will quickly reach your heart.

Set in the context of the Russo-French Wars of 1812, and plunged right into the heart of the Russian nobility, with betrayals, love stories full of heroism, and sacrifice, this story is immortal.

Flying Roosters (1957)

The only Soviet film to win the prestigious Palme d'Or and was nominated for the Bafta Awards also tells the story of an exceptional woman. We are in World War II and Veronica's fiancé, Boris, is leaving for the front, losing his life while trying to save a colleague.

Veronika does not know this, continuing to wait for him with patience and loyalty and proving her noble soul when she adopts an abandoned child. The story will bring tears to your eyes.

The best old Russian movies

It is said that old movies are the best, and Russian movies do not disappoint either. Here's what selection we're tempting you with!

The Guide (1979)

The most famous film of one of the most famous filmmakers of all time, Andrei Tarkovsky, is a masterpiece with accents of adventure, science fiction, and fascinating forays into human psychology. "The Guide" talks about dreams, reality, science, faith, and the purpose of life, inviting on stage three men who travel through a land where the laws of reality no longer work, looking for a mysterious room that is believed to fulfill all your desires.

The amazing thing is that the black and white film also has saturated elements of color, in the middle of the action, an artistic decision that Tarkovsky made following the difficulties of filming. And if you needed another reason to watch "The Guide" now, find out that the film was deadly for a large part of the crew, including the director, who fell ill with cancer due to the toxic conditions in which the film was shot.

The White Desert Sun (1970)

Here is another Soviet film that should not be missed, despite preconceptions about the communist period. We think we'll convince you that we're talking about one of the best Russian movies when we tell you that "White Desert Sun" is designed for Russian astronauts going into space to improve their mood.

Considered a western with comedy elements, the film stars Fyodor Sukhov, a Red Army soldier who returns home from the Turkmen Civil War and goes through many adventures, including the need to guard a harem of 10 women. Extremely popular in Russian pop culture, the film is watched with the same pleasure today.

The best Russian film of all time

It's hard, if not almost impossible to decide which is the best film in certain film culture, that's why we won't even try to please everyone. Below is the film that stood out for us as one of the best Russian films of all time, according to the Taste of Cinema website.

Potyomkin Cruiser (1925)

The film, considered one of Russia's greatest masterpieces of all time, tells the story of the Potyomkin Cruiser crew's rebellion against the cruel officers, who are believed to have started the 1917 Revolution.

A story adored by the communists, but so poetically transposed on film by director Sergei Eisenstein, that you forget about the political implications. The scene of the Odessa massacre is considered a reference in cinema and is said to have inspired director Brian de Palma, but the film uses many other revolutionary techniques that have made history.

Top best Russian movies to watch on a weekend

The best Russian movies will make their mark on your life, but the titles below are perfect for the weekend. Culture, fun, thrills: here's the recipe for a weekend in Russian chords!

Love and the Pigeons (1984)

This Russian romantic comedy is considered by many viewers to be one of the most beautiful love movies of all time! Vasya is a poor man who has an extramarital affair with a sophisticated and rich woman in a spa resort, but who still longs for his simple life. A captivating film about love and forgiveness, along with spectacularly beautiful natural landscapes.

Night Circle (2004)

The most expensive Russian movie of all time, with some of the best visual effects, "Night Circle" will keep you awake on a weekend night.

The thriller with fantastic elements talks about an epoch-making battle between good and evil, between Light and Darkness, about fantastic beings (Others), and about courage and power. The film also has a sequel, "Round of the Day".

The crew (2016)

Don't think that Russian savvy people aren't able to make action movies like in Holywood. In "The Crew", a young and impulsive pilot is fired from the military after directly challenging an absurd order.

He is hired as a pilot on merchant ships and is thrown into a natural disaster, where he must show courage and self-sacrifice to save people. The action movie