Recent months have shown a remarkable resurgence of interest among Russians toward the life and works of renowned poet Alexander Pushkin, primarily fueled by the release of new film and television productions focused on his story. This trend has been documented through various platforms, including Yandex Search and Kinopoisk, which reported significant spikes in online queries concerning Pushkin.
The increase began on February 9, shortly after the premiere of the film 'Prophet: The Story of Alexander Pushkin' on February 14 and the television series 'Natalie and Alexander' which aired its first episode on February 17. By February 18, there was a peak with approximately 3 million related queries, marking double the interest compared to the previous week, indicating both the public's craving for content about Pushkin and the impactful nature of film and television on literary engagement.
According to Yandex statistics, during the week of February 17 to 23, search volume reached unprecedented levels. The film, featuring Yuri Borisov as Pushkin, quickly became the top-grossing movie, demonstrating not only popularity but also the effective melding of cinema and literary heritage.
The series 'Natalie and Alexander' also entered the spotlight, ranking among the top ten most-watched series across the country as reported by Index Kinopoisk Pro. This series achieved high ratings, garnering 8.3 out of 10 from notable viewers on Kinopoisk, making it particularly compelling for audiences wishing to explore Pushkin's world more deeply.
This literary resurgence is not uniform across Russian cities; interest levels vary significantly. Notably, Saint Petersburg, often considered Pushkin's cultural heart, showed the highest search volume, whereas cities such as Novosibirsk reflected lesser engagement. Further data analysis revealed about one-third of the queries directly related to the recent film and series releases, where users sought reviews of 'Prophet: The Story of Alexander Pushkin' and background on the actors featured.
Pushing beyond mere curiosities about the film, many queries highlighted questions surrounding Pushkin's life itself. Users searched for details on significant events such as Pushkin's duel with Georges Dantès, his heritage, and the role of his nurse, Arina Rodionovna, within his narrative. Among these queries were also unique curiosities, including whether the original title of the poem 'Ruslan and Lyudmila' was actually 'Ruslan and Larissa' and inquiries about Pushkin's physical stature relative to Natalia Goncharova.
Interestingly, requests for Pushkin's works represented around 20% of searches linked to his name. Visitors actively sought out materials to either discover his oeuvre for the first time or revisit classics like 'The Captain's Daughter' and his verses often overlooked within educational settings. Yandex Books reported substantial growth concerning readership for Pushkin's writings; there was evident yearning among adult audiences for both textual and audio versions of his works. During the week of February 17, readership for his major pieces, including 'Eugene Onegin,' 'The Captain's Daughter,' and 'The Queen of Spades,' increased by 30% from the previous week. This marked preference skewed heavily toward audio versions, highlighting how modern technology is reshaping literature consumption.
This renewed popularity is especially notable as it coincides with the bicentennial of the release of the first chapter of 'Eugene Onegin.' Yandex Books took this opportunity to curate specialized collections aimed at encouraging readers to explore Pushkin’s life and work more comprehensively. This ceremony to celebrate the legacy of Pushkin has also sparked reflections on similar cultural moments over the past year, when interest surged for other iconic Russian authors like Fyodor Dostoevsky, closely linked to recent adaptations available via Kinopoisk.
About this resurgence of interest, experts suggest it exemplifies how contemporary cultural products can effectively bridge past literary works with modern audiences. By reintroducing Pushkin's realms through current media, these adaptations not only celebrate his contributions to literature but also encourage newer generations to engage with his writings, ensuring the immortality of Pushkin's legacy.