Before going to Russia, it is a good idea to watch some movies about the country if you can. This will give you some idea of the history and culture of the place. You can also watch some Russian movies to help you to learn the language.
We know that we cannot rely on the media to give an accurate portrayal of a country, since the media often focuses on the negative aspects and tends to sensationalize current events. The media may also be very biased in terms of politics, so you do not really get an objective view of a country and its culture by watching the news.
King
The movie the “Царь” or “King” is a film about the life of “Ivan the Terrible” or Ivan IV Vasilyevich. This is a particularly good movie to watch if you are a history buff as it shows the history of Russia during the 16th century. You can see how the Russian people lived and dressed during that time. It is a fascinating look back in time.

I’ll Be Around
For a view of modern life in Russia and to learn some Russian words you can watch “Я буду рядом” or “I’ll Be Around”. This is the story of a middle-class Russian family in modern times. It also shows the interaction of adults with children. The story is very touching and is a story about a mother and her child and the difficulties they experience.
Documentaires
It is also a good idea to watch documentaries to gain more insight into Russia. These movies will give you much more information on the people, the history and the culture of the country. There are a couple of great documentaries on Russia that you can watch. The movie “Katya, Vitya, Dima” is one example. This movie is modern; it came out in 2012 and tells the story of a family struggling economically to raise their three children in a Russian village outside of Moscow. This movie gives a good and fairly accurate portrayal of how life is not easy for everyone and it is also great since it was filmed outside of Moscow in a small village.
Varya
The movie “Varya” came out in 2014 and examines the relationship between Russia and the Ukraine. It tells the story of a Math’s teacher from Moscow who befriends Ukranians and travels to the Ukraine to investigate the political reasons and underpinnings of the strife between the two countries. For anyone interested in politics and world affairs it is a must-see movie.

Looking on the Other Bank
Russia is a very large country with a diversity of people. This is not really evident or apparent to most people, which is why it is a good idea to watch a movie that shows this diversity of people that you find in Russia today. The movie called “Looking on the other bank’ was made in 2016. It includes 8 short stories told by 8 different people. By watching these depictions of Russia you can gain more insight into the country and its people.
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