Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Moscow Government – Moscow Government –
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Costume-making workshops, virtual production stages, and the largest on-location green screen in Europe. Today, the Russian capital can rightfully be called a city of cinema. Not only are films shot here, but a world-class film cluster is also being developed. As part of the "Moscow – City of Cinema" project, the capital is home to the Moskino Film Factory, the Moskino Film Commission and Film Platform, and the largest filming spaces— cinema park "Moskino" AndGorky Film Studio, which this year celebrates its 110th anniversary and is experiencing a rebirth.
The film studio is undergoing a major modernization. This will more than double its space, and equip the spaces with state-of-the-art technology. This fall, a major renovation of the multifunctional cinema hall and construction of a production building were completed at the studio's historic site on 8 Sergei Eisenstein Street.costume and props center.
We explain how the film studio blends memories of the past with modern technology, where the sewing workshop will be located, and what ancient artifact will grace the historic site.
More than a hundred years on screen
The Gorky Film Studio, founded in 1915, is one of the oldest in Russia and the oldest in Moscow. Its collection includes hundreds of iconic films, including "Officers," "Seventeen Moments of Spring," "Guest from the Future," and many others. It also produced the first sound, color, musical, and 3D films in the history of Russian cinema.
The studio's first sound feature film, "Road to Life," was made in 1931, directed by Nikolai Ekk. Five years later, he also made the first Russian full-length color film at the studio. It had two titles: "Grunya Kornakova" and "Solovey-Solovushko." And in 1940, the first Russian stereoscopic film, "Land of Youth," was made—a precursor to modern 3D cinema. Director Alexander Rou also worked at the studio, thanks to whom a new genre of Russian cinema—the fairy tale film—emerged there. He directed "Morozko," "The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors," "Varvara the Beauty with a Long Braid," and others. Alexey Tremasov, film scholar and curator of the Gorky Film Studio collection, is also a film scholar.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the studio produced eight to 15 films per year, and in the 1970s and 1980s, 15 to 25. However, in the 1990s, the studio fell into decline and released almost nothing for a long time. From 2014 to 2019, its collection grew by only a dozen projects. At the end of 2023, the film studio was transferred to the City of Moscow, and in January 2024, a large-scale modernization began. The main work on the historic site on Sergei Eisenstein Street has already been completed, and soon true cinematic magic will reign in one of the new sound stages.
From Sergei Eisenstein Street, we pass through the main building of the film studio into the courtyard, where a large six-story structure awaits. This is a new production complex. It houses a large soundstage where films, series, and television shows will be filmed. Under the high ceiling, you can see iron rods, platforms, and cables for hoisting sets, as well as mechanized trusses—bridge-like metal structures. Film crews can use these to position the necessary lighting. The soundstage floor, ceiling, and walls are painted black. This will reduce reflections and glare during filming.
This year, six feature films are being filmed, including the sports comedy "The Big Wave" and the family films "The Newest Adventures of Petrov and Vasechkin in the Caucasus Mountains" and "The Adventures of the Yellow Suitcase," as well as "Diva" and "Moscow Bride Box Office." And in November, the pre-New Year blockbuster "Letter to Santa Claus" will be released. Natalia Oreiro will play the lead role.
Show lights, disappearing chairs and an artifact from the past
Thanks to the modernization of the Gorky Film Studio, another high-tech space has been added: the multifunctional Gorky Hall, featuring large screens and rows of seats. It is located in a historic building on the site of a former large-screen theater built in the 1970s and demolished in the early 2000s. The new space will accommodate up to 300 patrons. Gorky Hall will be one of the most high-tech movie theaters in Moscow, boasting a unique high-definition widescreen, staged lighting systems, immersive spatial sound, and simultaneous translation.
In addition to film screenings, the hall is planned to host other events. For this purpose, it has a unique feature: it's transformable. A telescopic stand has been installed in the stalls, allowing the seats to fold and slide together. Technicians activate the system with the press of a button, and the auditorium literally disappears, making Gorky Hall even more spacious. On September 25, the hall will host its first event—the opening ceremony of the 2nd Moscow International Youth Film Festival "Vysoko."
Guests will also be surprised by the hall's foyer, which features an unusual photo zone with an augmented reality effect and a cinema bar.
A true film studio treasure will also take pride of place in the historic building: a bas-relief depicting Maxim Gorky, created over 65 years ago. This artifact was discovered in the prop collection this summer.
Thanks to modernization, a new building was erected on the film studio grounds, which will house a sewing workshop and house the entire collection of the costume and props department—one of the oldest and largest in the country. While preparing for the move, we noticed a bas-relief among the film props. It was made of papier-mâché, a technique used in the 1950s. Having determined the approximate year of its creation, we began searching for its artist: we dug through archives and studied newspaper articles. In one article in the then-published newspaper Burevestnik, we discovered that the bas-relief was created for the future brand (logo) of the film studio. Its author turned out to be Valentin Shikharev, now 94, Honored Artist of Russia, who worked at the studio in the 1950s and 1960s. Natalya Simonova, head of the costume and props department at the Gorky Film Studio.
As the artist himself notes, the bas-relief was inspired by the works of Soviet monumental sculptor Ivan Shadr. It also contains references to abstraction in the style of Alexandra Exter, Aristarkh Lentulov, and the Vesnin brothers. Despite its beauty and realism, the stamp featuring Gorky did not catch on. Only a few films were published with it. However, the bas-relief's image remained for a long time on letterheads, letters, tickets, and film studio seals.
Loyalty to tradition and the development of new generations of masters
The Costume and Props Complex also houses other treasures. We pass through a three-story building with large windows. This is where the complex's sewing workshop and its entire collection—over 200,000 items, from clothing to furniture—will soon move. The premises will be equipped with modern sewing machines, overlockers, buttonhole machines, steam mannequins, and much more. There will also be spacious storage areas and fitting rooms.
While the spaces are being filled with the necessary paraphernalia, on the building's first floor, visitors are greeted by mannequins in voluminous gowns and formal frock coats. These aren't just outfits, but true artifacts from the past. Two black lace dresses with long sleeves, for example, are part of an antique collection. They were worn by noblewomen in the distant past. The dresses have been preserved and were acquired by the film studio as samples for costumes for the film. Another dress features a crinoline and is powder-colored. It was sewn by the studio's artisans as a replica of a mid-19th-century dress. It can be seen in the film "The Trip to Wiesbaden" (1989).
The film studio's sewing workshop not only creates costumes but also helps young artisans gain new experience. For example, under the guidance of costume and props experts, fourth-year student Alsu Mukhametzhanova sewed her first film-specific clothing. First Moscow educational complex.
I'm studying "Garment Design, Modeling, and Technology," and last semester I completed an internship at the studio. I was assigned to create dresses in the style of the 1950s. I designed and sewed two dresses, and another was already cut out, which I finished sewing. To accurately recreate the era, I studied magazines from that era and drew inspiration from images. I had expert assistance at every stage of the sewing process. Thanks to this, everything worked out. Alsu Mukhametzhanova, fourth-year student at the First Moscow Educational Complex
The film studio also trains future directors, screenwriters, camera operators, editors, and actors. A whole team works here for this purpose. film campusIn its offices and halls, children aged 10 to 17 are taught the basics of filmmaking. A green screen, a recording studio, an acting class, and even dressing rooms are available to the teenagers.
Sobyanin announced the opening of new filming studios at the Gorky Film Studio.From a Wayward to a Hero: Gorky Film Studio's "Soldier Ivan Brovkin" Turns 70A unique bas-relief of the famous writer was found in the collection of the Gorky Film Studio.Gorky Film Studio: The History of its Name in the Year of its 110th AnniversaryFrom the first stitch to the finished look: how costumes are created at the Gorky Film Studio
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