We recall the best films of Konstantin Khabensky, including roles as a teacher, cosmonaut, and debt collector.

Last week saw the premiere of the film "Feya" (read our review here), starring perhaps the best contemporary Russian actor Konstantin Khabensky. This artist manages to perfectly combine roles in films, TV series, and theater. No matter what project he participates in, there is no doubt that the story will not fall below a certain bar.

In honor of another high-profile new release, we invite you to recall the best films of Konstantin Khabensky, limiting ourselves to five options, even though this choice was incredibly difficult.

Night Watch (2004)

The role of Anton Gorodetsky in the fantasy action film "Night Watch" (and its sequel) made Khabensky a true superstar of Russian cinema. After Timur Bekmambetov's film, even those who for some reason hadn't watched "Deadly Force" learned about the actor, and offers began pouring in by the hundreds.

In the adaptation of Sergei Lukyanenko's works, Konstantin managed to play an ambiguous hero whom viewers loved. It is easy to empathize with him, despite all the contradictions of the character, largely due to Khabensky's charm and plasticity.

The Debt Collector (2016)

If there is an actor in Russia who can hold the audience's attention alone throughout an entire feature film, it is, of course, Alexander Petrov Konstantin Khabensky. He demonstrated this in an elegant manner in the bold experiment by director Alexei Krasovsky.

In this film, Khabensky not only was alone in the frame for all 70-plus minutes of runtime but also played a rare role for himself as a negative character. His character named Arthur, as is obvious from the title, works as a debt collector and uses psychological tricks to "squeeze" money from negligent citizens. The actor's exercise in the genre of conversational cinema can and should be considered quite successful. This is also evidenced by the well-deserved victory at Kinotavr.

The Geographer Drank His Globe Away (2013)

The best films of Konstantin Khabensky cannot be imagined without the film "The Geographer Drank His Globe Away." Perhaps it is no exaggeration to say that the role in Alexander Veledinsky's film is the pinnacle of the Leningrad native's work to date.

In the image of teacher Viktor Sluzhkin, the actor demonstrated the quintessence of his skills and internal emotional achievements. He created a character that is simultaneously touching, lyrical, charming, and so alive that during viewing, the line between cinema and reality blurs as if by magic.

It is no wonder that the actor's best role brought him all the major domestic awards, including Kinotavr, Golden Eagle, and Nika.

The Good Boy (2016)

If you think that Konstantin Khabensky is only about big and pompous cinema like "Admiral" or the aforementioned blockbuster "Night Watch," you are deeply mistaken. The actor is no stranger to participating in modest festival projects that many viewers have not even heard of. One such project for Konstantin was the film "The Good Boy" by aspiring filmmaker Oksana Karas.

In this film, Khabensky is assigned the role of a supporting character, namely the father of the main character, who falls in love with his own English teacher. The actor literally sparkles on screen in the image of an eccentric and quirky man from a typical bedroom community, unrestrainedly playing every one of his parts. A very unconventional role for the beloved actor revealed a long-forgotten facet of his talent—comedy!

The Spacewalker (2017)

A great artist differs from an average one in the ability not to pull the blanket over himself when the script requires it. In the patriotic film "The Spacewalker," the main star was Yevgeny Mironov, portraying the legendary cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. This was facilitated not only by the actor's own talent but also by Khabensky's restrained performance.

No unnecessary expressiveness, all emotions to the point and according to the developing situations—all this adds depth and realism to the created character. In addition, the actor demonstrated incredible chemistry with his partner, which brought even more life to the film.

Recalling the best films of Konstantin Khabensky was not easy, but extremely fascinating. Which roles of the talented Russian actor do you consider the most successful and interesting?