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Autumn Marathon
Autumn Marathon
	Original film poster
Directed by	Georgiy Daneliya
Written by	Aleksandr Volodin
Starring	Oleg Basilashvili; Natalya Gundareva; Yevgeni Leonov; Marina Neyolova
Cinematography	Sergei Vronsky
Edited by	Tatyana Yegorychyova
Music by	Andrei Petrov
Production; company	Mosfilm
Release date	1979;
Running time	90 minutes
Country	Soviet Union
Language	Russian

Autumn Marathon (Russian: Осенний марафон, romanized: Osenniy marafon) is a 1979 Soviet romantic comedy-drama, a winner of 1979 Venice Film Festival, San Sebastian Film Festival and 1980 Berlin Film Festival awards in the best director and best actor categories.^[1] It was also selected as the Soviet entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 52nd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.^[2]

It starred Oleg Basilashvili as Andrei Buzykin, a married English-to-Russian translator in Leningrad who is going through a mid-life crisis and struggling to stand up for himself in his tangled relationships with his wife, mistress, neighbors, and co-workers. The cast included such notable Soviet performers as Yevgeny Leonov, Natalya Gundareva, Marina Neyolova, Borislav Brondukov, Nikolai Kryuchkov, and Galina Volchek. It was directed by Georgiy Daneliya.

Plot

In Leningrad, Andrey Buzykin is a middle-aged translator and university lecturer torn between his wife, Nina, and his younger lover, Alla, who wants him to start a family with her. Nina, weary and burdened by domestic life, silently endures Andrey’s infidelity, as he tries to keep up appearances through feeble excuses. Andrey’s indecision and inability to say "no" also affect his professional life, where he gets roped into situations against his will. For instance, he unwillingly joins his Danish colleague, Professor Hansen, on morning runs and is manipulated by his former classmate Varvara, who exploits his talent while meddling in his personal affairs. Andrey’s work suffers, leading to missed deadlines and a shaky reputation. Alla grows frustrated with his hesitation, pushing her to consider ending their affair.

As his family dynamics unravel, Buzykin’s daughter, Lena, and her husband leave on a two-year work trip without consulting her parents, devastating Nina. In a moment of honesty, Andrey confesses his “ended” affair to Nina, only to accidentally reveal details that sound like lies. After Lena and her husband depart, Nina leaves him. Andrey, now determined to stand up for himself, confronts Varvara at work, denies a lazy student a pass, and even bluntly refuses to shake hands with a colleague he dislikes. When his neighbor, Haritonov, probes him about a recent incident, Andrey skillfully shuts him down. Returning home to find Nina gone, Andrey feels a sense of relief. But as he answers a call from Alla, Nina unexpectedly returns, asking if he is truly done with his double life. His response, “Tomorrow, seven at the department,” suggests he’s retreating to his old routine. In the final scene, Andrey runs through the darkening city streets alongside Hansen, symbolizing his unresolved struggle for change.

Cast

Oleg Basilashvili as Andrey Pavlovich Buzykin
Natalya Gundareva as Nina Yevlampyevna Buzykina
Marina Neyolova as Alla Mikhaylovna Yermakova – Buzykin's Mistress
Yevgeny Leonov as Vasily Ignatyevich Kharitonov – Buzykin's Neighbour
Norbert Kuchinke as Bill Hansen, Danish Professor
Nikolai Kryuchkov as Uncle Kolya, Alla's Neighbour
Galina Volchek as Varvara Nikitichna
Olga Bogdanova as Yelena – Buzykin's Daughter (as O.Bogdanova)

References

^ Richard Taylor, Nancy Wood, Julian Graffy, Dina Iordanova (2019). The BFI Companion to Eastern European and Russian Cinema. Bloomsbury. p. 1933. ISBN 978-1838718497.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences