/rJFerFqrKx6jL2i9TjbMNAx5ptd.jpg
DramaRomanceWar

Firebird

- Risk everything, trust no one.

At the height of the Cold War, a troubled soldier forms a forbidden love triangle with a daring fighter pilot and his female comrade amid the dangerous surroundings of a Soviet Air Force Base.

Release Date : 2021-10-29

Language :EnglishEstonianRussian

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : The FactoryNo Reservations EntertainmentFirebird ProductionEstonian Film Institute

Production Country : EstoniaUnited KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Tom Prior

Character Name : Sergey Serebrennikov

Original Name : Tom Prior

Gender : Male

Oleg Zagorodnii

Character Name : Roman Matvejev

Original Name : Олег Загородній

Gender : Male

Diana Pozharskaya

Character Name : Luisa

Original Name : Диана Пожарская

Gender : Female

Jake Henderson

Character Name : Volodja

Original Name : Jake Henderson

Gender : Male

Margus Prangel

Character Name : Major Zverev

Original Name : Margus Prangel

Gender : Male

Nicholas Woodeson

Character Name : Colonel Kuznetsov

Original Name : Nicholas Woodeson

Gender : Male

Ester Kuntu

Character Name : Masha

Original Name : Ester Kuntu

Gender : Female

Kaspar Velberg

Character Name : Pilot Selenov

Original Name : Kaspar Velberg

Gender : Male

Sergei Lavrentyev

Character Name : Drama Professor

Original Name : Sergei Lavrentyev

Gender : Male

Rasmus Kaljujärv

Character Name : Pilot

Original Name : Rasmus Kaljujärv

Gender : Male

Lauri Mäesepp

Character Name : Pilot

Original Name : Lauri Mäesepp

Gender : Male

Karl-Andreas Kalmet

Character Name : Pilot

Original Name : Karl-Andreas Kalmet

Gender : Male

Vladimir Nadein

Character Name : Young Conscript

Original Name : Владимир Надеин

Gender : Male

Markus Luik

Character Name : Sergeant Janis

Original Name : Markus Luik

Gender : Male

Anatoli Tafitšuk

Character Name : Mechanic Ivan

Original Name : Anatoli Tafitšuk

Gender : Male

Nils Mattias Steinberg

Character Name : Karamazin

Original Name : Nils Mattias Steinberg

Gender : Male

Sten Karpov

Character Name : Duty Officer

Original Name : Sten Karpov

Gender : Male

Carmen Mikiver

Character Name : Army Doctor

Original Name : Carmen Mikiver

Gender : Female

Mihkel Kabel

Character Name : Border Guard Popov

Original Name : Mihkel Kabel

Gender : Male

Ilja Toome

Character Name : Radar Operator

Original Name : Ilja Toome

Gender : Male

Kuldar Kristjan Kurg

Character Name : Good Looking Conscript

Original Name : Kuldar Kristjan Kurg

Gender : Male

Henessi Schmidt

Character Name : Olga

Original Name : Henessi Schmidt

Gender : Female

Kaie Kõrb

Character Name : Anna

Original Name : Kaie Kõrb

Gender : Male

Imre Sooäär

Character Name : Theatre Director

Original Name : Imre Sooäär

Gender : Male

Deni Yarovskiy

Character Name : Ilya

Original Name : Дэни Яровский

Gender : Male

Markus Habakukk

Character Name : Guildenstern

Original Name : Markus Habakukk

Gender : Male

Jaanika Arum

Character Name : Bohimian Classmate Girl

Original Name : Jaanika Arum

Gender : Female

Jonathan Tupay

Character Name : Sergey Jr.

Original Name : Jonathan Tupay

Gender : Male

Eduard Toman

Character Name : Toastmaster

Original Name : Eduard Toman

Gender : Male

Catherine Charlton

Character Name : Luisa's Aunt

Original Name : Catherine Charlton

Gender : Male

Britta Soll

Character Name : Katya

Original Name : Britta Soll

Gender : Female

Luule Komissarov

Character Name : Kvas Lady

Original Name : Luule Komissarov

Gender : Female

Timur Ilikajev

Character Name : Busker

Original Name : Timur Ilikajev

Gender : Male

Eili Sild

Character Name : Old Lady

Original Name : Eili Sild

Gender : Female

Mari Lill

Character Name : Old Lady

Original Name : Mari Lill

Gender : Female

Anne Paluver

Character Name : Train Attendant

Original Name : Anne Paluver

Gender : Female

Gerda Johnson

Character Name : Neighbour

Original Name : Gerda Johnson

Gender : Female

Aavo Pekri

Character Name : KGB Man

Original Name : Aavo Pekri

Gender : Male

Monika Jallajas

Character Name : Luisa's Mother

Original Name : Monika Jallajas

Gender : Male

Vadim Sehvatov

Character Name : Luisa's Father

Original Name : Vadim Sehvatov

Gender : Male

Karl Markus Antson

Character Name : Private

Original Name : Karl Markus Antson

Gender : Male

Deniss Bogosjan

Character Name : Mailman

Original Name : Deniss Bogosjan

Gender : Male

Artur Tjulenev

Character Name : Rough Labourer

Original Name : Artur Tjulenev

Gender : Male

Romek Uibopuu

Character Name : Young Sergey

Original Name : Romek Uibopuu

Gender : Male

Gregory Kibus

Character Name : Young Dima

Original Name : Gregory Kibus

Gender : Male

Marge Sillaste

Character Name : Sergey's Mother

Original Name : Marge Sillaste

Gender : Male

Toomas Edur

Character Name : Choreographer

Original Name : Toomas Edur

Gender : Male

Alena Shkatula

Character Name : Firebird

Original Name : Alena Shkatula

Gender : Male

Anatoli Arhangelski

Character Name : Koschel

Original Name : Anatoli Arhangelski

Gender : Male

Jevgeni Grib

Character Name : Prince

Original Name : Jevgeni Grib

Gender : Male

Inessa Glazõrina

Character Name : Princess

Original Name : Inessa Glazõrina

Gender : Male

Andrea Fabbri

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Andrea Fabbri

Gender : Male

Marcus Nilson

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Marcus Nilson

Gender : Male

Anna Roberta Lahesoo

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Anna Roberta Lahesoo

Gender : Male

Christina Krigolson

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Christina Krigolson

Gender : Male

Kersti Kuuse

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Kersti Kuuse

Gender : Male

Karina Laura Leškin

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Karina Laura Leškin

Gender : Male

Ksenja Seletskaja

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Ksenja Seletskaja

Gender : Male

Maia Shutova

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Maia Shutova

Gender : Male

Benjamin Gareth Edward Thomas

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Benjamin Gareth Edward Thomas

Gender : Male

Konstantin Belokhvostik

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Konstantin Belokhvostik

Gender : Male

Nikolaos Gkentsef

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Nikolaos Gkentsef

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-06-05

Sergey (Tom Prior) is a young private in the Soviet army based in Estonia. With only a few weeks of his service left, he is designated to look after the newly arrived pilot Lt. Matvejev (Oleg Zagorodnii). Initially very formal, the two begin to bond over their enthusiasm for photography and vodka. Soon, the two are lovers and treading a very dangerous path - not only could they face up to 5 years in a gulag somewhere, but the stigma attached to there activities would be career ending for both. Luckily, his/their friendship with the colonel's assistant Luisa (a sparing but strong effort from Diana Pozharskaya) serves to deflect the attentions of the suspicious KGB major Zverev (Margus Prangel), but well and truly spooked, the two must take self preservation measures resulting in the younger man leaving and moving to Moscow to become an actor, whilst his erstwhile boss stays put and marries Luisa. Neither man can forget the intensity of their relationship, and it isn't long before Matvejev is in on an assignment and the two men are all but living together. The arrival of his wife and child finally brings things to an head; sadly one ultimately leading to tragedy for all concerned. This is a true story, but though set in the Communist era could apply just as easily to so many other, supposedly more free, nations who banned same sex relationships or people who were gay from their military. To his credit, director Peeter Rebane manages to create quite an uncomfortable sense of peril in the production at the start. We do genuinely fear for the two as they explore their feelings for each other, and genuinely fall in love. Prior reminded me a little of Jonas Nay from "Deutschland 83" (2016) (though his well developed torso doesn't always look like it belongs to his head!); and he performs really well, managing to hold his accent together for the most part whilst instilling in the audience a real sense of the affection he has for his friend which is, in as practical a way as the man knows how to, but very genuinely, reciprocated. This is a well paced and scored film with some pretty potent and engaging dialogue, but in the end it is about the two men demonstrating how to fall in love in dangerous times. Insofar as the (brief) sex is between two men, it is a gay film - but more than that it is about love - the two men and Luisa - and about survival - and is really well worth a watch.