Aleksei Balabanov

Directing

Aleksei Balabanov

Born 1959-02-25 · Sverdlovsk, RSFSR, USSR

Aleksei Oktyabrinovich Balabanov was a Russian film director, screenwriter, and producer, a member of European Film Academy. He started from creating mostly arthouse pictures and music videos but gained significant mainstream popularity in action crime drama movies Brother (1997) and Brother 2 (2000). He has been referred to as the "Russian Quentin Tarantino" in the press for his critically acclaimed yet controversial films.

Acting credits

No artwork available
5.5

One of the three films that comprise Arrival of a Train, a collection of shorts made to celebrate the centenary of cinema. Set at the turn of the 20th century, the film follows Trofim, a Russian peasant jealous of his wife for having an affair with his brother. Trofim kills his brother and runs away to St. Petersburg. Then Trofim steps off the train in St. Petersburg, a cameraman who happens to be shooting on the platform captures his arrival.

Trofim

1995

Plankton Salesmen poster
NR

A nostalgic look at the birth and death of arthouse film distribution in Russia in the early 2000s. The story of the company Cinema Without Borders and its two founders, Sam Klebanov and Anton Mazurov.

Plankton Salesmen

2017

The Arrival of a Train poster
5.5

Almanac of five short stories commissioned by ROSKOMKINO to celebrate the 100th anniversary of cinema.

The Arrival of a Train

1996

Me Too poster
5.6

Five passengers - the Bandit, his friend Matvei, Matvei's old father, the Musician, and a young woman - race along an empty road in a big black jeep, searching for the Belfry of Happiness which, according to hearsay, lies somewhere between St. Petersburg and the town of Uglich, near a deserted nuclear power station. The Belfry takes people, but it does not take everyone. Each of the five passengers believes that he or she will be chosen.

Me Too

2012

How «Brother 2» Was Filmed poster
NR

Documentary film with comments by Sergey Bodrov, Viktor Sukhorukov, Alexey Balabanov, Sergey Astakhov, Sergey Selyanov about the shooting of the famous film "Brother 2".

How «Brother 2» Was Filmed

2000

Aleksey Balabanov. Postscript poster
NR

One of the last conversations with a popular director, excerpts from printed interviews over the years and, most importantly, Balabanov's personal diaries.

Aleksey Balabanov. Postscript

2023

Balabanov. Belltower. Requiem poster
8.0

A documentary film dedicated to Alexei Balabanov and his latest film "I also want to".

Balabanov. Belltower. Requiem

2022

We Others Will Not poster
10.0

The film “We Others Will Not” emerged as a direct continuation of numerous meetings and conversations with Sergei Bodrov Jr. and Alexei Balabanov. The idea to reflect again on the phenomenon of Sergei Bodrov Jr.’s identity belongs to Evgeniy Nikishov and Valeriy Fedorovich. Together we decided to go on this difficult journey. Close friends and colleagues talk about Sergei: the producer Sergei Selyanov, the designer Nadezhda Vasilyeva, the composer Vyacheslav Butusov, the cinematographer Sergei Astakhov, and also… Sergei Bodrov Jr. and the director Alexei Balabanov, whose films “Brother” and “Brother 2” acquired popular fame at the threshold of the 2000s.

We Others Will Not

2021

Behind the camera

Secrets Shared with a Stranger poster
3.3

In Russia, in 1907, a rich lenient husband of a loose unfaithful woman is brutally murdered. She and her two lovers are suspects, but what about the stranger she met just before the murder? With no friends left, she and the stranger bond.

Secrets Shared with a Stranger

1996

Cargo 200 poster
6.8

While returning to Leningrad from a visit to his brother, Professor Artyom's car breaks down and he finds assistance at an isolated farmhouse occupied by Alexey, his wife, a Vietnamese laborer, and a stranger who wanders around the farm. When his car is repaired, Artyom leaves, drunk on moonshine, and students Valera and Angelika arrive. After Valera gets drunk, the stranger abducts Angelika.

Cargo 200

2007

Cargo 200 poster
6.8

While returning to Leningrad from a visit to his brother, Professor Artyom's car breaks down and he finds assistance at an isolated farmhouse occupied by Alexey, his wife, a Vietnamese laborer, and a stranger who wanders around the farm. When his car is repaired, Artyom leaves, drunk on moonshine, and students Valera and Angelika arrive. After Valera gets drunk, the stranger abducts Angelika.

Cargo 200

2007

Dead Man's Bluff poster
6.7

Sergei and Simon have to deliver a suitcase full of heroin to Mikhalych or else they will be killed. There is one minor detail: the only problem-solving technique they are familiar with is a shot in the head.

Dead Man's Bluff

2005

Dead Man's Bluff poster
6.7

Sergei and Simon have to deliver a suitcase full of heroin to Mikhalych or else they will be killed. There is one minor detail: the only problem-solving technique they are familiar with is a shot in the head.

Dead Man's Bluff

2005

War poster
6.8

During the bloody war in Chechnya, a British couple and two Russian soldiers are taken hostage by Chechen rebels. Two of the hostages are then released to bring the money for the British woman who is forced to wait for the ransom.

War

2002

War poster
6.8

During the bloody war in Chechnya, a British couple and two Russian soldiers are taken hostage by Chechen rebels. Two of the hostages are then released to bring the money for the British woman who is forced to wait for the ransom.

War

2002

Brother 2 poster
7.1

Arriving in Moscow, Chechen War veteran Danila meets Konstantin, an old friend who tells him that his twin brother has been forced into signing a crooked contract with a US ice hockey team. Soon after this meeting, Danila discovers Konstantin dead and he sets out to avenge his death; a journey that leads him to Chicago and a whole new experience.

Brother 2

2000

Brother 2 poster
7.1

Arriving in Moscow, Chechen War veteran Danila meets Konstantin, an old friend who tells him that his twin brother has been forced into signing a crooked contract with a US ice hockey team. Soon after this meeting, Danila discovers Konstantin dead and he sets out to avenge his death; a journey that leads him to Chicago and a whole new experience.

Brother 2

2000

Brother poster
7.5

Danila goes to his successful brother, Victor, in Petersburg to start a new life. Unknown to Danila, Victor is a contract killer, but is in hiding after asking for too much money to assassinate a Chechen mob boss. To avoid exposure, Victor convinces Danila to kill the boss instead.

Brother

1997

Brother poster
7.5

Danila goes to his successful brother, Victor, in Petersburg to start a new life. Unknown to Danila, Victor is a contract killer, but is in hiding after asking for too much money to assassinate a Chechen mob boss. To avoid exposure, Victor convinces Danila to kill the boss instead.

Brother

1997

Of Freaks and Men poster
6.5

St. Petersburg, early 20th century. The handsome and secretive Johann specializes in shooting erotic pictures depicting the floggings of bare-bottomed women. With the help of his assistants, the photographic creations gradually penetrate the peaceful households of two upper-class Russian families.

Of Freaks and Men

1998

Of Freaks and Men poster
6.5

St. Petersburg, early 20th century. The handsome and secretive Johann specializes in shooting erotic pictures depicting the floggings of bare-bottomed women. With the help of his assistants, the photographic creations gradually penetrate the peaceful households of two upper-class Russian families.

Of Freaks and Men

1998

Morphine poster
6.8

The year is 1917. We are in the Russian countryside. It is the middle of freezing winter. A pale young, newly educated doctor arrives. Having to deal with one medical challenge after another he soon becomes the center of everyone's attention. To soothe the impressions of human suffering he turns to morphine.

Morphine

2008

No artwork available
5.5

One of the three films that comprise Arrival of a Train, a collection of shorts made to celebrate the centenary of cinema. Set at the turn of the 20th century, the film follows Trofim, a Russian peasant jealous of his wife for having an affair with his brother. Trofim kills his brother and runs away to St. Petersburg. Then Trofim steps off the train in St. Petersburg, a cameraman who happens to be shooting on the platform captures his arrival.

Trofim

1995

One Step Beyond poster
3.5

Short feature film, filmed in 1988. One of the first works of the film director Alexei Balabanov, at that time an assistant at the Sverdlovsk Film Studio. The film is a course work, filmed while studying at the Higher Courses of Scriptwriters and Directors; the materials of the film became the basis for the thesis work of the director, the film "Nastya and Egor" (1989).

One Step Beyond

1988

One Step Beyond poster
3.5

Short feature film, filmed in 1988. One of the first works of the film director Alexei Balabanov, at that time an assistant at the Sverdlovsk Film Studio. The film is a course work, filmed while studying at the Higher Courses of Scriptwriters and Directors; the materials of the film became the basis for the thesis work of the director, the film "Nastya and Egor" (1989).

One Step Beyond

1988

It Doesn't Hurt Me poster
5.3

Three friends are in the entrance of a luxury home in the heart of the city. They are young, full of strength and energy, they have the talent, skill and thirst for life and ... - well, they have all but one. But money...

It Doesn't Hurt Me

2006

It Doesn't Hurt Me poster
5.3

Three friends are in the entrance of a luxury home in the heart of the city. They are young, full of strength and energy, they have the talent, skill and thirst for life and ... - well, they have all but one. But money...

It Doesn't Hurt Me

2006

The Castle poster
5.7

Closely based on Franz Kafka's book "Das Schloß", the movie shares the same action on a land surveyor who is called to a village to do a job that no one seems to have ordered. Once there, he takes up the struggle against bureaucracy emanating from the castle.

The Castle

1994

The Castle poster
5.7

Closely based on Franz Kafka's book "Das Schloß", the movie shares the same action on a land surveyor who is called to a village to do a job that no one seems to have ordered. Once there, he takes up the struggle against bureaucracy emanating from the castle.

The Castle

1994

The Stoker poster
6.1

A shell-shocked Afghanistan war hero named Ivan Skryabin (Mikhail Skryabin) spends his days stoking the fire in a giant coal furnace. When he isn’t tending the flames, he keeps busy with other activities. He works on a historical novel. His adult daughter Sasha (Aida Tumutova) comes to visit. Local kids come to gaze at the flames. Gangsters, including a former Army sergeant (Aleksandr Mosin) and a sniper known as Bison (Yuri Matveyev), drop by to add special kindling to the fire.

The Stoker

2010

The Stoker poster
6.1

A shell-shocked Afghanistan war hero named Ivan Skryabin (Mikhail Skryabin) spends his days stoking the fire in a giant coal furnace. When he isn’t tending the flames, he keeps busy with other activities. He works on a historical novel. His adult daughter Sasha (Aida Tumutova) comes to visit. Local kids come to gaze at the flames. Gangsters, including a former Army sergeant (Aleksandr Mosin) and a sniper known as Bison (Yuri Matveyev), drop by to add special kindling to the fire.

The Stoker

2010

The Arrival of a Train poster
5.5

Almanac of five short stories commissioned by ROSKOMKINO to celebrate the 100th anniversary of cinema.

The Arrival of a Train

1996