Review of Karnaval

Karnaval (1982)
8/10
Both funny and sad. Irina Muravyova at her best.
1 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Nina Solomatina, a naive girl from a provincial town, comes to Moscow hoping to enter a theatre institute and become an actress. The reality, such as suffering from an unrequited love and the need to earn a living, brings her back to earth but also makes her stronger.

The film includes many memorable musical acts, in which Nina plays the leading part. These are her dreams, but we believe that one day they will come true...

I especially like the scene when Nina, in the last minute, has to stand in for a roller-skating bear! One can't help laughing to see the resulting mess, but in reality the act has been carefully planned and masterfully executed.

Another interesting ingredient of the film is a Gypsy family who accommodates Nina at the first night in Moscow and helps her out later on. Of course, they will also sing and dance!

The film stars well-known Soviet actors: Irina Muravyova, Yuri Yakovlev and Aleksandr Abdulov.

It reminds me of "Koroleva benzokolonki" (1963), where main character also dreams of becoming an actress and skates on rollers, but the plot of the Carnival it is less ideological and much more realistic. It has also parallels with "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears" (1980).

The film is not a masterpiece and, especially in first the part, some scenes could be shorter. Nevertheless, it definitely worth seeing by those who are interested in the Soviet reality and cinema.
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