On January 20, the film “Aeterna. Part One” was released on the Kinopoisk platform. In our article, we figure out what story is unfolding on our screens, how viewers reacted, and whether to expect the next parts.

The plot of the film “Aeterna” is based on the works of Russian writer Vera Kamsha in the style of historical fantasy. The cycle “Reflections of Eterna” consists of five books and a collection of additional novellas. It is worth noting that the last book is not yet finished, and some books are divided into volumes. In some cases, their number reaches up to five. Thus, one can judge that the screenwriters had the opportunity to create a unique product with a truly large foundation. The first adaptation covers only part of the first book — “Red on Red”.

The plot of “Aeterna” unfolds in a fictional world called Kertiana, in the kingdom of Talig. For many centuries it was ruled by the Rakan dynasty, which, according to legend, was placed in power by the ancient gods. Four centuries ago, the Rakans were overthrown, and now the heir to the throne, Aldo Rakan, is forced to hide in a foreign land. Meanwhile, in Talig, discontent with the authorities is brewing: several years ago, the Lord of the Rocks even raised a rebellion, but it was brutally suppressed, and the instigator himself was killed in a duel. Now the rebel's son, Richard Ockdell, thirsts for revenge and is ready to do anything for it, even risk opposing the invincible Marshal Roké Alva.

How was the world created?

News about the project launch began to appear in 2021. The first footage and videos appeared at the Moscow Comic-Con, which was held online due to coronavirus restrictions.

Filming began in early January 2021. The pandemic, of course, affected the process. Initially, filming was to take place not only in Russia, but also in Hungary and the Czech Republic. Due to closed borders, trips had to be canceled, and castles were made using computer graphics. Location shooting was moved to the suburbs of St. Petersburg. Thus, Richard Ockdell's path to the capital lies through Pavlovsk Park. The rest was filmed in the pavilions of Lenfilm and in the interiors of the Kelch Mansion.

Costumes, sets, battle scenes

The genre of historical fantasy itself makes it possible to create not only an engaging project within the framework of history, but also simply a beautiful picture. In this, “Aeterna” wins from the very first frames. Many users, after the release of the first materials, noted the work of the costume designers. This opinion remained even after the release of the full film. Viewers note that every costume makes you want to examine it down to the smallest detail.

When creating the costumes, the team placed greater emphasis on motifs from 15th-century fashion. At the same time, each outfit emphasizes the characters' origins. Be it the uniform of the school of squires, the robes of priests, or the inhabitants of the capital.

The costume seems to tell the hero's story. This is exactly what was discussed at the last conference of the Bubble company, dedicated to the film “Aeterna”. During this presentation, actors Sergey Goroshko, Anar Khalilov and Denis Nurullin talked about how the costumes helped create the characters' images. On the official Instagram page during post-production, there were many posts revealing the features of the characters and their clothes.

Another plus of the film “Aeterna” is the fencing scenes. No stunt doubles were used during filming. All actors underwent special courses that lasted several months. Copies of real weapons were used during filming, and there is no feeling of artificiality while watching. If for the younger generation of actors the task of working with swords was new, then Yuri Chursin clearly won in this regard. He had already learned the art of fencing during the filming of “”.

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Open material

Cast

Of course, without acting, no beautiful costumes or masterful sets could have helped the film succeed and become loved by the audience.

“Aeterna” gives viewers the opportunity to see respected actors from the world of cinema and theater: Pyotr Semak, Veniamin Smekhov (yes, two Athoses in one project), Andrey Smolyakov, Yuri Belyaev and Kirill Kozakov. In one of his interviews, Pyotr Semak noted that one of his acting dreams was to star in a historical, costume film. And now, the dream has come true! From the additional materials, you can feel that the filming process brought pleasure, and this is visible in the final result on screen. It is also worth noting that the voices of the “older” generation make the atmosphere even more mystical. It is as if the viewer is being read a fairy tale, allowing them to immerse themselves in this diverse world.

The younger generation of actors is no slouch either. In their naivety, but true belief in principles, the images of their characters are formed. The most screen time in the film “Aeterna” is given to the Laik school of squires. We see that they are all devoted to their cause, but at the same time they compete with each other, play pranks, and argue. How else can boys behave?

What's the bottom line?

Of course, the film “Aeterna” is not without its drawbacks. You should not expect a lot of action or a large scale of events. Here we must not forget that this is only the first part. We are introduced to the characters, told in detail about the world, families. There isn't even a problem with the film itself, but rather a problem with the original story.

Viewers familiar with the text note that the screenwriters carefully reworked the book, trying to transfer the story to the screen as accurately as possible. But for those who are not familiar with the story of Aeterna, watching may be a bit difficult. After all, figuring out what cities are, who is a representative of a particular clan, and what role they play in the story is problematic.

In this regard, a guide was prepared by Kinopoisk itself, as well as a website from the magazine “World of Fantasy”. On the website you can not only learn about the history of Aeterna, but also view photo and video materials.

As a result, it turned out to be the first step in a new fantasy saga of our cinema. On the first day, the film was watched by more than 100 thousand users of the Kinopoisk platform, setting a record. The sequel will be released in 2023. Until then, there is an opportunity to read the book, familiarize yourself with the material, and most importantly, choose whose side you are on.

On Yandex.Music, the audiobook “Reflections of Eterna: Red on Red”, which formed the basis of the adaptation of the first part, has also appeared: music.yandex.ru/album/20713104