Tatyana Aleksandrova

On April 8, 1894, a young princess from the Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt, to the great joy of the heir to the Russian throne, Nicholas, finally agrees to convert to Orthodoxy and become his wife. So begins the story of the family of the last Russian emperor. Their letters, diary entries, drawings, photographs and documentary films of the pre-revolutionary years create a kind of family chronicle.

The history of Russian poetry contains a tragic episode: the tragic fate of the legendary Marina Tsvetaeva, who returned to the USSR shortly before the start of World War II, then committed suicide in 1941. The fate of her sister, Anastasia - also a poet - is lesser known, despite the fact that she, too, had a life as interesting and nearly as tragic. This video-portrait of Anastasia Tsvetaeva, shot when she was over 90, is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a woman who saw history unfolding. Despite her advanced years, she maintains a bright wit, a charm, and a joie de vivre, evident as she recounts her memories.

On April 8, 1894, a young princess from the Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt, to the great joy of the heir to the Russian throne, Nicholas, finally agrees to convert to Orthodoxy and become his wife. So begins the story of the family of the last Russian emperor. Their letters, diary entries, drawings, photographs and documentary films of the pre-revolutionary years create a kind of family chronicle.

The history of Russian poetry contains a tragic episode: the tragic fate of the legendary Marina Tsvetaeva, who returned to the USSR shortly before the start of World War II, then committed suicide in 1941. The fate of her sister, Anastasia - also a poet - is lesser known, despite the fact that she, too, had a life as interesting and nearly as tragic. This video-portrait of Anastasia Tsvetaeva, shot when she was over 90, is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a woman who saw history unfolding. Despite her advanced years, she maintains a bright wit, a charm, and a joie de vivre, evident as she recounts her memories.