EAST/WEST

'''Est-Ouest''' (Russian title: '''Восток-Запад'''; English: '''East/West''') is a French (-Russian-Spanish-Bulgarian) film (1999) directed by Régis Wargnier, starring Sandrine Bonnaire (as Marie), Oleg Menshikov (as Alexei), Sergei Bodrov Jr. (as Sasha) and Catherine Deneuve (as Gabrielle). Authors of scenario and dialogue: Rustam Ibragimbekov, Sergei Bodrov, Louis Gardel and Régis Wargnier.

Contents

Plot introduction

Awards

External links

Plot introduction

After the Second World War, former citizens of the Russian Empire are offered Soviet citizenship, amnesty and invitation to return to homeland, so that they could join in the post-war restructuring. While most of the émigrés decide to remain abroad, there are many people anxious to return to the ‘Holy Russia’. Among the returnees are Alexei Golovin, his French wife Marie and their son Sergey. But Stalin's offer was merely a tactical step. Soon after the shipload from France has arrived in Odessa, most of the returnees are killed or imprisoned, with the exception of Alexei and his family. The repatriates face the Soviet way of living and the atmosphere of paranoia, characteristic of the Stalinist era.

Awards

★ Best Foreign Language Film (nominee) - - 1999 Golden Globe

★ Best Actress (nom) - Sandrine Bonnaire - 1999 French Academy of Cinema

★ Best French Film (nom) - - 1999 French Academy of Cinema

★ Best Director (nom) - Regis Wargnier - 1999 French Academy of Cinema

★ Best Music (nom) - Patrick Doyle - 1999 French Academy of Cinema

★ Best Foreign Language Film (nom) - Regis Wargnier - 1999 Academy

★ Best Foreign Film (nom) - 1999 National Board of Review

★ Oscar (nom) 2000 - Best Foreign Language Film

★ Miami Film Festival 2000 (won) - Audience Award

★ Palm Springs International Film Festival 2000 (won) - Audience Award

★ Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2000 (won) - Audience Choice Award
Sources: NYT, IMDB

External links

★ Official homepage, offers e.g. a synopsis as well as the director's note

★ Various information; on New York Times website