Mathilde
Short description
This historical drama depicts the romance between Matilda Kschessinska, a Polish ballerina at the Mariinsky Theatre, and Nicholas II, the future Tsar of Russia. Their relationship faces significant opposition from societal norms and the interference of Nicholas's mother. As the heir to the throne, Nicholas is eventually forced to choose between his personal feelings for Matilda and his duty to the empire, leading to his marriage to Alexandra Feodorovna. The narrative also explores Matilda's connections with other members of the Romanov family.
The film was directed by Alexey Uchitel, following his previous works Dreaming of Space and Breaking Loose, and preceding Noise of Time. The cast features Michalina Olszańska in the role of Matilda and Lars Eidinger as Nicholas II, alongside Luise Wolfram, Danila Kozlovsky, Ingeborga Dapkūnaitė, and Sergey Garmash.
Produced by TPO Rok with a budget of 25 million USD, the film earned 9 million USD at the worldwide box office. Audience reception is mixed, with a rating of 5.3/10 from 2,500 votes on IMDb and a slightly higher score of 5.8/10 from 82 votes on TMDB.
What's left behind the scenes
- Over 17 tons of fabric were used to create the costumes, and a total of 5,000 outfits were made.
- Filming took place at the Mariinsky Theatre, as well as in the Catherine, Alexander, Yusupov, and Yelagin Island Palaces. In addition, sets were constructed for the Assumption Cathedral, the Palace on the River Pontoon, and the interiors of the Imperial train cars.
- The organization “Christian State – Holy Rus’” sent over a thousand letters to cinemas in Moscow demanding they cancel the screening of the film “Matilda,” which they claim “offends their feelings” with its theme of Nicholas II’s extramarital affair. State Duma Deputy Natalia Poklonskaya also accused the film of “offending the feelings of believers,” asking the Prosecutor General’s Office to investigate “Matilda,” while the Russian Orthodox Church stated that it was all “slander and vulgarity.”
- More than 10 screenwriters participated in the script development, including American and French writers. However, the author in the end was Alexander Terekhov, who successfully works in the mockumentary genre and is a laureate of the “Big Book” and “National Bestseller” awards.
- The music by American composer Marco Beltrami for the film was recorded by an extended composition of the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
