"Seven Versts Before Dawn": the National Centre RUSSIA hosts premiere screening of a film about a peasant who repeated the feat of Ivan Susanin
The National Centre RUSSIA hosted the premiere screening of the feature-length film "Seven Versts Before Dawn". The movie is based on real events and tells the story of the immortal feat of the peasant Matvei Kuzmin, who became a Hero of the Soviet Union. In the winter of 1942, under the harsh conditions of the occupied Pskov Region, he carried out an act that is often compared to the feat of Ivan Susanin. The event took place on the eve of the nationwide release, which is set to begin on 30 April 2026.
Directed by Aleksandr Andreyev, the film recounts a true story that took place in the winter of 1942. The main character, the peasant Matvei Kuzmin, having received an order from the German command to guide a unit into the rear of the Red Army, agreed, but secretly warned Soviet troops and led the enemy into an ambush. In preparation for filming, the project team carried out extensive research: archival materials were studied and Kuzmin's relatives were interviewed. The screenplay is based on Boris Polevoy's story "The Last Day of Matvei Kuzmin" and archival records, while filming took place in the very locations where the tragic events unfolded.
"We were very fortunate to film in the places and within the same geographical area where these events took place. Firstly, everything there is steeped in history. Secondly, the Pskov and Velikiye Luki actors in the supporting scenes were always highly motivated. They understood that we were making a film about their relative, their hero, and for that reason they supported us in every possible way, helped us, and simply amazed us with their warmth," said director Aleksandr Andreyev.
To ensure historical accuracy, the film crew also located Kuzmin's granddaughter, who is now over 90 years old. She provided a crucial detail: German soldiers were wearing white camouflage suits. Initially, military consultants disputed this, believing such camouflage was used exclusively by Soviet Army ski units. However, the old woman insisted: "They were all in white, just like ours." This fact was later confirmed — the Germans indeed had an elite mountain special unit deployed near Velikiye Luki before being sent on a new mission.
According to the creators, the idea for the film was born from a desire to tell the story of simple yet genuine heroism — the kind that lives within every person. This vision was realised through a shared commitment to preserving the memory of important pages of history and conveying eternal values to the audience.
"'Seven Versts Before Dawn' is an adaptation of Boris Polevoy's story, familiar to everyone from school. This film is our contribution to the memory of generations; it is a kind of document honouring the feat of an individual and of the Russian people as a whole. This feat has no statute of limitations," said film producer general, Ali Uzdenov.
The star roles in the film are played by Fyodor and Viktor Dobronravov, Natalia Surkova, Maria Shukshina, Artyom Bystrov, Timofei Kochnev, Vyacheslav Chepurchenko, and others. The movie was included in the non-competitive programme of the 48th Moscow International Film Festival, where its festival premiere took place on 21 April. The film will be released nationwide with the support of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Pskov Region. The age rating is 16+.
Before the screening, the National Centre RUSSIA hosted a ceremonial awards event for the winners of the All-Russian essay contest "1418 Words About Heroes", established in memory of the 1,418 days of the Great Patriotic War. The contest brought together students from military training centres at universities. The participants created their own chapter in the chronicle of both those who gave us peace in May 1945, and those currently taking part in the special military operation.
In addition, awards were presented to the authors who became winners of the playwriting contest "To the Best Warriors of the World", dedicated to the special military operation. A total of 107 works were submitted from 37 cities across Russia. Thirteen authors were shortlisted, and the winners were Sergei Lagonov (Moscow, a play named "Three-Three-Three"), Daniil Orlov (Saint Petersburg, play "Glass Berries"), Irina Ordynskaya (Moscow, play "A Million Roses"), and Mikhail Umnov (Yalta, play "Lekha-Spartak"). Performances based on their plays will be staged in partner theatres by the end of 2026.
