Pop

The events are tragic for all - people in dire need of spiritual support and priests striving to serve, but under very difficult circumstances. It is the increasing resistance not only from population, but even Soviet solders tasked with rounding up supposed collaborators in cassocks, that forced Stalin to reverse early policies on religious intolerance. The story of the church on occupied territories was not taught neither in academia (even when majoring in history) nor seminaries until 1991. Materials were accessible only to those doing actual research on related topics under specially granted security clearances.

In Orthodox Christianity there is a theme of bright sorrow -- the paradox that through suffering, some may find redemption and courage to do whatever good may remain possible even in impossible situations. This film is based on the true story of such redemption and courage during the World War II Nazi occupation of.the Pskov district, near Russia's border with Latvia, The central character, an Orthodox priests sent to serve the faithful in a remote village, is scorned by both the occupying forces and communist partisan guerillas. Under constant threat, he and his wife sacrifice themselves to bring whatever comfort they can to their community, feeding the hungry, confronting evil, and caring for a growing family of orphans. The sorrow is real and unrelenting, often overpowering the underlying sense of redemption. The cinematography is quite beautiful. However, to an English speaker, the subtitles could be confusing. To understand the narrative it helps to bring at least some prior knowledge of the plight of Orthodox Christians under Stalin's totalitarian regime.

Its a real creation of Art! Film impressed me a lot. I'm an actor and in 90% of films I see how good or bad was made editors work, I think about how bad or good was play of actors etc... When I watched this film I forget that picture on a screen is "just a play" - everything was More Real than ANY 3-d or "23-d"... In some moments I cry... I don't remember when I cry because of film... "Pop" is the one of the greatest films I ever seen...I can't believe that I communicated with the person which played Father Alexander... It's some magic when some (even a little bit, but familiar) person turns Role into Real Person! I know that Makovetsky is an actor but at this film he is more Real Priest than some Priests in Churches... Makovetsky is one of the Greatest actors today and may be here is the best his role... Soon I will watch this film again because it touches my heart...

"The Priest"/Поп joins several recent Russian entries (including "Punishment Batallion"/Штрафбат and two or three of the set-pieces within Sergei Mikhalkov's ponderous "Burnt by the Sun- 2"/ Утомленные солцем- 2) as part of a de facto common effort to rescue post-Soviet cinema from the stereotypes, fables and large-scale falsification that the Soviet movie industry was largely confined to for most of the period covering 1942-91-- and managed to pass along, if only as a mindset, to many in the succeeding Russian industry and general public after the Soviet Union finally went out of business (not a moment too soon).

For every rare kernel of truth-- and there were indeed a few in "Ballada of a Soldier"/ Баллада о солдате and "Come and See"/ Иди и смотри, for example-- there were 20 (or 200 or 2000) Big Lie whoppers planted within the waves of propaganda films masquerading as cinema (and not very well) that Soviet audiences were subjected to for half a century. Setting all this aside has not, of course, been easy-- particularly when you have figures like the mayor of Moscow adamantly insisting that Stalin should be honored as part of the nation's celebration of the 65th anniversary of victory in the war. Yikes.

"The Priest" profits enormously from Sergei Makovetsky in the lead, an actor whose range is among the broadest in the profession (Evgenii Mironov is his principal competition). The film is less plot-driven than episodic-- which is as it should be, since its premise is a plot unto itself: a Russian Orthodox priest functions under German occupation on territory that has changed hands multiple times over a single generation. Whom to serve and how are all the "plot" necessary; and the answers on offer are not pat.

Russian viewers have taken home much that is new to them from this film, and non-Russian audiences, even those unfamiliar with the contested history of the region, will likewise find considerable food for thought here. Briefly put, "The Priest" will reward different audiences on many levels, and deserves wide distribution outside (current) Russian borders. Highly recommended.

I don't understand why any Westerner would give low votes for this film and say it's biased. But i guess Antonio from Ireland is Atheist. The only reality was that the Orthodox Church suffered great persecution by the atheistic regime of Communism, during Lenin or Stalin. Ask any Russian. The films is based on real facts. In Russia, Ukraine, Romania the Orthodox Church was persecuted and suffered murders and genocide. The movie is a part of that reality which affected Russia from 1919 to 1980s. I believe the director created a masterpiece and the rating is not real, reflecting the anti-Orthodox rhetoric of today. The film music is impressive, the dialogue, the landscape. The complex representation of the society between Nazis, ordinary Russians, Orthodox faith and Communists. I don't know why these kind of films which shows the reality of that era are so hated by some people. This film should have taken prizes for the director creativity.