Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Mosfilm Film Concern – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
March 19, 2026
News editorial office
47
Andrei Tarkovsky's celebrated film, which celebrated its 60th anniversary this year, is once again playing to packed theaters across the country. A 4K restoration, presented by audience member Karen Shakhnazarov and the leading actors, allowed audiences to experience the masterpiece in its pristine, majestic beauty.
The anniversary year of Andrei Tarkovsky's legendary film "Andrei Rublev" is gaining momentum. The premiere of the restored 4K version took place to great acclaim on February 21 at Mosfilm's Cinema Center. The film was presented by Mosfilm CEO and director Karen Shakhnazarov, as well as People's Artists of the Russian Federation Nikolai Burlyaev and Yuri Nazarov, whose performances in this film have become landmarks in their respective careers.
On February 22, the film was widely re-released in dozens of Russian cities—from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Novosibirsk, Perm, and Rostov-on-Don. Audience interest exceeded expectations: in less than a month, thousands of people saw the film across 134 screenings. Moreover, many screenings were sold out. For example, at the Michel Cinema in St. Petersburg, all tickets for the screening were sold out well in advance.
Starting March 21, the film's distribution geography will expand even further: the largest cinema chain, Formula Kino/Cinema Park, will join the project. Screenings are planned in more than 20 cities, from Kaliningrad to Krasnoyarsk.
"Andrei Rublev is a remarkable artistic achievement in our cinema. It's an entire system of images that has become an important part of our national culture," noted Karen Shakhnazarov. "It's precisely these kinds of films, with their enduring value, that must be carefully preserved and brought back to screens." The head of Mosfilm also emphasized that, while not a box office hit in its year of release (1966), today Tarkovsky's film likely draws more viewers than many Soviet blockbusters. "Where are those box-office hits that were released simultaneously with Rublev? And yet, people have been watching it for so many years!" he added.
Premiere of the latest restoration of the film "Andrei Rublev" at the Mosfilm Cinema Center.
The return of this masterpiece to the big screen was made possible thanks to the meticulous work of specialists at Telekino (a division of Mosfilm). They performed a frame-by-frame digital restoration of the image and sound, creating a 4K version. The most challenging aspect was preserving the authentic film texture: restorers manually aligned long shots, carefully worked with shots of fog and rain, and removed unique film defects—emulsion "craquelure" reminiscent of cracks in old paintings.
It's worth remembering that the story of the creation of "Andrei Rublev" (originally titled "The Passion According to Andrei") is full of drama. The idea came from Vasily Livanov, and the lead role was played by Anatoly Solonitsyn, who maintained a vow of silence for four months to achieve the role. The film, starring Rolan Bykov, Yuri Nikulin, and Ivan Lapikov, was harshly criticized and shelved for several years, only being released in a cut version in 1971. Today, decades later, the true value of this masterpiece is recognized worldwide.
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