Primary Russia (Russian: Русь изначальная, romanized: Rus iznachalnaya) is a 1985 Soviet historical epic film directed by Gennady Vasilyev.
The film takes place in Ancient Rus', when Ratibor united the Slavs into one army and rebuffed the nomads.
Contents
Plot
In the year 532, the Byzantine capital of Constantinople erupts in the Nika uprising against Emperor Justinian. Amid the chaos, rebels free several prisoners condemned to public execution, including Malchus, a freethinker and philosopher with Manichaean beliefs. When the revolt is suppressed, Malchus is sentenced to serve as a galley slave. However, he is noticed and freed by Demetrius, a scheming priest who demands Malchus’s assistance in missionary work among the pagan tribes known as the Rossichi. Malchus ultimately deserts and joins the Rossichi, coming to admire their simple, wise customs and sense of justice.
By 558, the fragmented pagan tribes of the Rossichi face a new threat: Byzantine interference stirs three Khazar chieftains to attack them. The Rossichi succeed in fending off the brutal invasion, but their leader, Vseslav, falls victim to a Byzantine emissary’s treachery and is poisoned during peace negotiations. Following Malchus's counsel, the new leader of the Antae, Ratibor, gathers an army and storms the Byzantine frontier fortress of Topir, the empire’s gateway. This decisive victory forces Byzantium to sign a peace agreement with the Rossichi.
Cast
Lyudmila Chursina as Aneya
Boris Nevzorov as Vseslav
Innokenty Smoktunovsky as Emperor Justinian
Margarita Terekhova as Theodora
Elena Kondulainen as Mlava
Arnis Licitis as Malkh
Igor Dmitriev as Tribonian
Vladimir Talashko as Demetrius
Vladimir Antonik as Ratibor
Viktor Gogolev as Velimudr
Mikhail Kokshenov as Kolot
Mikhail Svetin as Repartius
Yevgeny Steblov as Hypatius
Elguja Burduli as Belisarius
Georgi Yumatov as sentenced to death