Director Sarik Andreasyan’s film Onegin once again led the box office across Russia and the CIS, pulling in 170.5 million rubles over the weekend. These figures come from kinobusiness.com for the period from March 14 to March 17, highlighting the film’s sustained appeal with audiences seeking period dramas and literary adaptations.
Onegin adapts a celebrated work by Alexander Pushkin, tracing the life of the jaded aristocrat Eugene Onegin and his tangled relationship with the Larin family. In a stylistic choice that nods to the source material, the production forwent extensive computer graphics in favor of a tangible, painterly atmosphere reminiscent of early 19th-century St. Petersburg—the very milieu where Pushkin lived. Principal filming took place on location in St. Petersburg and nearby locales. Screenwriter Alexander Gravitsky crafted the adaptation, guiding the dialogue and narrative voice. The principal cast includes Lisa Moryak, Viktor Dobronravov, Denis Prytkov, and Vladimir Vdovichenkov, delivering performances that emphasize character-driven storytelling and period detail.
Following Onegin, the Ice series sequel claimed second place with 59.7 million rubles. The story centers on Nadya, a figure skater who, like her mother, aspires to win the Ice Cup. The film features Stepan Belozerov, Anna Savranskaya, Alexander Petrov, and Maria Aronova in key roles, underscoring themes of perseverance, competition, and family support within the demanding world of athletic performance.
In third, the war drama Passenger Call Sign directed by Ilya Kazankov earned 57.5 million rubles. Adapted from Alexander Prokhanov’s novel, the film portrays events in southeastern Ukraine through a war-weary lens. Anton Shagin leads the cast, with supporting performances from Alexey Shevchenkov, Sergey Gorobchenko, Nadezhda Markina, and others, offering a human-scale look at conflict and resilience amid crisis.
A portion of the film’s proceeds is allocated to support soldiers serving on the front lines, reflecting a commitment to humanitarian aid alongside entertainment value. This charitable contribution aligns with broader industry efforts to assist those affected by conflict and to sustain frontline relief initiatives.
There have been public discussions regarding tensions within the director’s circle, with reports about disagreements involving the filmmaker’s family. Such conversations often surface in entertainment reporting, particularly when big productions generate high audience interest and media scrutiny. Citations for these claims appear in trade coverage compiled by industry outlets, which readers may consult for deeper context and verification.