On April 22, the premiere of the movie “The Dollmaker” starring Maria Mironova is set to unfold at the KION online cinema, a premiere reported to socialbites.ca. The event promises a blend of tension and mood that pulls viewers into a world where childhood memories collide with eerie folklore, and it marks a notable entry in contemporary Russian cinema. Maria Mironova’s performance is anticipated to bring a nuanced depth to a story that straddles the line between domestic drama and unsettling folklore, inviting audiences to witness how memory and legend intertwine in a way that feels both intimate and cinematic.
Set in the 1990s, the narrative follows 13-year-old Sonya as she moves from the city to a rural village with her mother and her younger sister Anya. The relocation is driven by necessity, a choice made to safeguard Anya’s fragile health, yet it disrupts the fabric of Sonya’s life and sense of belonging. The new setting brings a quiet, sometimes oppressive atmosphere where the rhythms of small-town life clash with the fast pace of urban childhood. Sonya’s initial resistance to these changes is palpable, her longing for familiar streets and friends contrasting with the practical realities that her family faces. The tension is crafted not just from external pressures but from the emotional strain of watching a sister drift into a world she cannot fully understand, and from Sonya’s own struggle to adapt while staying loyal to the bonds that define her family.
As the new community takes shape around them, the local youth are slow to accept Sonya, labeling her with pointed, almost childhood-scouting jibes that reveal the social reckoning of a place that still clings to old hierarchies. The friction increases when the neighborhood adds Sonya’s skateboard to the long list of small humiliations—an impulsive act that underscores the stakes of belonging and the vulnerability of adolescence. The film builds its suspense not through loud shocks, but through a careful, creeping sense of unease that grows as Sonya searches for a way to bridge the gap between her urban sensibilities and the village’s guarded, ancestral whispers.
Legends speak of the Dollmaker who resides in an abandoned house on the edge of town, a figure associated with vanished children and whispered warnings. The backstory is rich with tragedy: the Dollmaker was once a child who endured bullying for body differences that set her apart. Her early loneliness and later turn to puppetry—a craft that allowed for a voice she could control—have shaped her into a figure who now lures children to her home with mirror-eyed dolls that reflect not just faces but fears. The story unfolds as a haunting inquiry into how loneliness, hurt, and the longing to belong can manifest in monstrous form, while also inviting a more compassionate reading of a life that was wounded and misread. Sonya’s journey becomes the counterpoint to this legend, a test of courage and responsibility that culminates in a choice about saving a sister, and perhaps, in some measure, saving a community from repeating old cycles of pain.
The project features a strong supporting lineup, with Vitaly Kornienko appearing in a role marked as “Nika,” Polina Ryashko, Alexander Novikov as “Zhiza,” and Artem Bashenin portraying “The Last Hero.” The character acting is complemented by a puppeteer whose artistry is embodied by Nikita Elikarov, a ballet dancer from the Bolshoi Theatre, whose presence promises a distinctive physicality and grace to the film’s fantastical elements. The production’s ensemble work aligns with a cinematic vision that aims to balance intimate family drama with a larger, mythic atmosphere, inviting viewers to consider how imagination can both shield and ensnare. The Dollmaker, as presented, becomes more than a horror figure; she represents a mirror to the fears and aspirations of a generation negotiating change, memory, and the impulse to conjure meaning from uncertainty. The movie will be available to watch in the KION online cinema, where audiences can explore a journey that blends character-driven storytelling with a mythic undercurrent that lingers beyond the screen.”