Who, If Not Us
Two teenage friends rob a store, and one of them ends up in juvenile prison while the other is released. The younger boy’s guilt draws him to a disgraced former investigator in this Russian drama.
Where to watch online
Official services. The link goes straight to this film.
Availability data by JustWatch
About the film
What it’s about
Two boys in their early teens, one from a stable single-parent home and the other from a broken family, break into a department store. The older boy, at fourteen, is sent to juvenile prison; the thirteen-year-old is released because he is too young to be tried. The younger boy feels guilty and tries to help his friend. While doing so, he meets a former investigator who has become a down-and-out drunk, and the two become friends.
What hooks you
Valeriy Priyomykhov directs and plays the former investigator. The film won a Nika for best screenplay and a Kinotavr prize from the presidential council. Production began in 1993, but funding problems delayed its release for five years.
Who it’s for
It is a good pick for those who like character-driven stories about guilt and loyalty, and for viewers interested in post-Soviet social realities.
Ratings
MOVIE․ONE · 668 votesCreative team
All 11-
01
Evgeniy Kraynov
Kolya Zmeykov ('Zmey')
-
02
Artur Smolyaninov
Tolik Andreev (Tolyasik)
-
03
Valeriy Priyomykhov
Gennady Samokhin
-
04
Tatyana Yakovenko
Zmey's mom
-
05
Lyanka Gryu
Irochka
-
06
Tatyana Dogileva
chairman of the parent committee
-
07
Albert Filozov
Anatoly Ignatievich, homeroom teacher
-
08
Oksana Arbuzova
Actor
-
09
Nikolay Chindyaykin
Actor
-
10
Semyon Furman
Actor
-
11
Yekaterina Vasilyeva
mom at the parent-teacher meeting
Trivia
- Filming of the movie started in 1993; due to poor financing, the filming process dragged on, and the film did not appear on screens for 5 years.
Awards and nominations
2 wins · 3 nominations
- 1 win Nika
- 1 win Kinotavr
- Best Screenplay Valeriy Priyomykhov Nika · 2000
- Presidential Council Prize Kinotavr · 1999
Reviews
0Similar
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6.6
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6.9
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6.9
Flicka
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5.9
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7.4
Remember
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6.9
Where the Red Fern Grows
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6.8
I Am David
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6.0
Moondance Alexander
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Who, If Not Us (1998)
Who, If Not Us
1998
Who, If Not Us
1998
Who, If Not Us
1998