Puppy (2009 film)

Puppy, the (Russian Щенок) is a 2009 Russian feature film by Marina Evstfieva. The screenplay was written by modern orthodox writer archpriest Nicholas Agafonov on the basis of his own short novel “A Very Important Act”. The film is distributed by orthodox TV channel “Радость моя” (“Joy of mine”) The movie tagline is “the story of true friendship, about the ability to forgive and sacrifice”.

Plot

Administration of an contemporary secondary school invites deacon Alexey to talk students about the Bible and Orthodoxy. Realizing that the dialogue with teens who are willing to argue and doubt in religious truths, is not coming, the deacon decides to tell them from his experience a story, which happened with him in the same age.

End of 70's - early 80's. Usual 11 years old schoolkids with their teen notions of good and friendship. It was in this environment that a dramatic story of Valera, an autistic boy unlike all other children, unfolds. Due to his deviation he is an outcast in the children society. Alyosha, like all his mates, mocks Valera at every opportunity. But once an event occurs which first makes Alyosha look quite otherwise at Valera, and then in his understanding of himself and the world in whole the crucial turn comes.

archpriest Nicolay Agafonov, the screenplayer

Cast and film crew

Marina Evstafieva, film director • Alina Ivakh, producer • Archpriest Nikolay Agafonov, scenarist

Denis Sukhomlinov as Alyosha • Igor Savochkin as deacon Alexey Ponomaryov (Alyosha in future) • Fyodor Tolstikov as Valera and others

Awards and Nominations

• Medalist of the program “Our new children movie”, VII Moscow National Film Festival "Moscow Premiere" (2009).
• V International Orthodox Film Festival "The Meeting" (2009)
• Social Programs and Films Festival "Hero of Our Time” (Tver, 2009)
• Grand Prix of IX Sochi Children Film Festival “Kinotavrik” (Sochi, 2009)
• Second place in VII International Orthodox Film Festival “Pokrov” (Kiev, 2009 )

and other

Links

• The Puppy at “Joy of mine” Orthodox TV company web site.
• The original novel