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The Chairman
The Chairman
Directed by	Aleksei Saltykov
Written by	Yuri Nagibin
Starring	Mikhail Ulyanov; Ivan Lapikov; Nonna Mordyukova; Vyacheslav Nevinnyy; Valentina Vladimirova
Cinematography	Vladimir Nikolayev
Music by	Aleksandr Kholminov
Production; company	Mosfilm
Distributed by	Soyuzkino
Release date	December 28, 1964;
Running time	166 minutes
Country	Soviet Union
Language	Russian

The Chairman (Russian: Председатель, romanized: Predsedatel) is a 1964 Soviet drama film directed by Aleksei Saltykov and starring Mikhail Ulyanov, Nonna Mordyukova and Ivan Lapikov.^[1] This film was honored with a Second Prize at All-Union Film Festival in Kiev (1966).^[2]

After World War II ends, soldier Yegor Trubnikov comes back to his native village to restore the ruined collective farm facilities. Rebuilding the kolkhoz is as hard for him as fighting the war. Becoming chairman, he charges himself with the burden of responsibility not only for the collective farm business, but also for the destiny of the people who are so close to him.

Plot

After returning from the battlefields of the Great Patriotic War, veteran Yegor Trubnikov comes back to his native village to rebuild the devastated kolkhoz farm. The village is in ruins, populated primarily by widows and women who have lost their husbands to the war, and the community is grappling with extreme poverty. Determined to restore normalcy, Trubnikov takes charge as the kolkhoz chairman, applying his military experience to the challenges of post-war rural life.

Trubnikov leads the kolkhoz with a commanding and sometimes controversial approach. He pushes the villagers to work tirelessly to revive the farm, often treating the effort like a military campaign. He is forced to make tough decisions, including whom to send to study in the city and whom to keep in the village, creating conflicts within the community. His methods, though harsh, aim to uplift the kolkhoz and prevent further despair.

Amidst the struggles, Trubnikov faces resistance from bureaucratic authorities and skepticism from his own people. Despite these challenges, he perseveres, transforming the kolkhoz and inspiring hope in the villagers. His leadership becomes a symbol of resilience and determination in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Trivia

The film (quite unusually for a Soviet movie) contains performance of a Christian religious hymn, Nearer, My God, to Thee (at 32nd minute).

Cast

Mikhail Ulyanov as Yegor Trubnikov
Ivan Lapikov as Semyon Trubnikov
Nonna Mordyukova as Donya Trubnikova
Vyacheslav Nevinny as Pavel Markushev
Valentina Vladimirova as Polina Korshikova
Kira Golovko as Nadya
Arkadi Trusov as Ignat Zakharovich
Vladimir Gulyaev as Ramenkov, District Party Instructor
Antonina Bogdanova as Praskovya
Aleksandr Kashperov as Shiryaev, Blacksmith
Aleksei Krychenkov as Alyoshka Trubnikov
Larisa Blinova as Liza
Nikolay Parfyonov as Klyagin, First Secretary of the District Party Committee
Aleksandr Galchenkov as Boris
Vladimir Etush as Colonel Kaloyev
Sergei Kurilov as Kochetkov
Sergei Blinnikov as Serdyukov
Mikhail Kokshenov as Misha
Yelizaveta Kuzyurina as Motya Postnikova
Varvara Popova as Samokhina
Vitali Solomin as Valyozhin, Physician

References

^ Peter Rollberg (2009). Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema. US: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 131–132. ISBN 978-0-8108-6072-8.
^ "The Chairman" (in Russian). kino-teatr.ru. Retrieved October 29, 2009.