Moscow was awash with magic and adventure on December 24, 2023, as fans gathered for the grand premiere of the fabulous blockbuster "Финист. Первый богатырь" (Finist: The First Knight). This spectacular event showcased the cinematic talents of director Dmitriy Dyachenko along with lead actors Kirill Zaytsev, Yulia Peresild, Fyodor Dobronravov, Sergey Lavigin, Pavel Priluchny, Kristina Stroitelyova, Fyodor Gamaley, Artem Gaidukov, among others, under the production guidance of Eduard Iloyan, Denis Zalinskiy, Vitaliy Shlyappo, and Anton Zlatopol'skiy.
During the premiere, Yulia Peresild captivated the audience with her acting masterclass, demonstrating the nuances of how actors express laughter, ranging from genuine amusement to forced smiles. Following her, Kirill Zaytsev took center stage and expressed his gratitude to the guests using Old Russian, thereby adding to the event's unique cultural flavor.
Star-studded attendees at the event included prominent personalities such as Sergey Garmash, Yulia Baranovskaya, Elena Nikolaeva, Alexander Lykov, Klim Shipenko, Karmen Arutyunov, Sergey Komarov, Natalia Kanevskaya, Yekaterina Temnova, Anton Fedotov with family, Alexander Ilyin, Dmitry Mulyar, Andrey Karako, Yulia Sumacheva, Nikolai Bogachev, Konstantin Legostaev, Anetta Bril with children, and many more.
Adding to the festive experience was New Year’s greetings from Cheburashka, delighting attendees with nostalgic charm. Cinema-goers flocking to see "Финист. Первый богатырь" will also have the exclusive opportunity to enjoy a new story featuring Cheburashka and his friends before the film’s screening.
The new film serves as the prequel to the acclaimed "Последний богатырь" (The Last Knight) trilogy, providing viewers with exciting background stories and deepening the fairy tale universe centered around the hero Finist, played once again by Kirill Zaytsev. Although Finist enjoys fame and attention, he finds true friendship scarce. Luckily, he can always count on his loyal assistant Melekha, played by Sergey Lavigin, and the young sorceress Baba Yaga, enchanting portrayed by Yulia Peresild.
"Финист. Первый богатырь" is jointly produced by the Yellow, Black and White studio, the online cinema platform START, and the "Россия" channel, all under the auspices of the Film Foundation. With support from Sberbank as the general partner, the film is poised to draw significant interest from viewers.
While many young actresses aspire to portray characters like Cinderella or Vasilisa the Beautiful, Yulia Peresild has long held dreams of taking on the role of Baba Yaga. Captivated by this folkloric character, she has finally brought her vision to life through "Финист. Первый богатырь". It’s worth noting, though, she does not adhere to the traditional portrayal of the old witch with warts; instead, her rendition presents Baba Yaga as youthful and charismatic, seemingly set to embrace her own love story. Yulia expressed her delight at playing such an unconventional role, stating, "This is the role of my dreams. I’m not being ironic; I really would love to continue my existence as Baba Yaga. I absolutely enjoyed it," she explained during the film premiere at the Oktyabr cinema.
Previously, Peresild acknowledged the need for some self-care through time spent at the bathhouse to rejuvenate herself, illustrating her commitment to both her craft and personal well-being. It's evident this project not only fulfills Peresild's artistic aspirations but also enriches the Russian cinema scene with its imaginative storytelling.
