Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Mosfilm Film Concern – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
February 26, 2026
News editorial office
69
Set in the fictional city of N in the early 20th century, this film offers viewers a glimpse into the childhood of the iconic literary character Ostap Bender. The project combines the adventurous spirit of Ilf and Petrov's hero with motifs from Anton Chekhov's children's stories. Principal photography has now been completed, and post-production is underway. The film is scheduled to be presented at the World Content Market international exhibition in Moscow in April.
The film is being produced by the Art for All Seasons Foundation for the Support of Culture and Art. The project has already received a national film certificate (UNF No. 40828), which, according to the creators, confirms its compliance with professional standards of Russian cinema.
Lada Merkulova directed and wrote the screenplay. Yevgeny Kharlanov served as co-director, and composer Nika Usova wrote the film's music. The main character, 13-year-old Ostap, was played by young actor Timofey Myagchenkov, and he was joined on screen by a cast of both teenagers and adults. One of the roles in the film was played by the young Italian actor Thomas Saganeiti, who also holds Russian citizenship and for whom working at Mosfilm was an interesting experience.
"This was my first time filming at Mosfilm, and it left a very strong impression. The atmosphere, the authenticity of the locations, and the team's work helped me deeply understand the era and my character, an Italian fashion designer. The costumes were beautiful and helped create a complete sense of the era. I really enjoyed participating in this project, and the experience was truly inspiring!" shared Thomas Saganeiti.
The film crew's idea for the project was inspired by the Mosfilm backlot, which recreates old Moscow and St. Petersburg. Many of the film's scenes were shot here, including walkthroughs of historical sets and interior scenes. To create an authentic atmosphere from the early 20th century, the production designers made extensive use of props and costumes from the Mosfilm collection.
The creators emphasize that their film is not a strict adaptation, but a creative fantasy about what the young Ostap might have been like. The narrative weaves motifs from Chekhov's short stories—"Boys," "Vanka," and "The Malefactor"—giving the story added depth and vibrancy. The script evolved from short novellas into a full-length feature, depicting how the future "great schemer"'s resourcefulness and innate sense of justice manifest themselves already in childhood.
"We realized that today's children don't know who Andrei Mironov was, haven't read 'The Twelve Chairs' or 'The Golden Calf,' and are either little or completely unfamiliar with Chekhov's stories. So we conceived our film to use the adventures of children like them to spark an interest in reading in today's children. This became a mission for us, an educational task. We imagined what might have happened to Ostap when he was 13, and intertwined it with the spirit of adventure and poetry of the time, using motifs from Chekhov's children's stories. For example, in our film, Ostap helps Vanka Zhukov find his grandfather so that that famous letter finally reaches its destination," director Lada Merkulova told Mosfilm.ru.
The film is currently in post-production. The rough cut has already been completed, and the sound recording and pre-production work for the sound effects have been completed at Mosfilm's Tonstudio. The creators plan to complete the film by mid-spring, after which they will begin searching for a distributor.
Photos provided by the project's press service
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