History
"Every viewer will see something in this story. For someone, the "translator" will be a psychological drama, for someone - an action story. For me, the main thing in this film is the topic of the forced complication in evil with all attempts to distance themselves from this very evil. The complicity is that you can't overcome, with which I do not agree and what you think at least incorrect. This topic has always existed. And today, it seems to me that it is very relevant. "
Idea
"In mid-2012, producer Ruben Dishdishyan offered me to remove the series - the remake of the French film" Old Gun ". But I do not really love remakes, so I began to fantasize and, after all, offered to make a picture of a random collaborationist. They attracted the Scripture of Igor Debugueva, who wrote a completely new story that did not have a direct relation to the original idea. So at the end of the summer we hit hands, and in March 2013 were already filming. "
Casting
"This story is not about the hero. That is why there was a certain actor who would combine the role of the hero, but at the same time could be a characteristic artist. The main role was casting, we watched someone, and then I decided to try Vitaly Khaeva, with whom he worked, I know him well and love it. It seems to me that for Vitaly, this role is unexpected if it would be used to use it in the cinema. I am sure that his role is much wider than this created image. We really wanted to leave in the film from the usual Haeva, so the idea was born to make a wig. Many Rostov actors and locals are filmed in the film. Artist of the role of a boy Kolya - Mikhail Gorbatova - an assistant on the actors found in the Cadet Corps. "
Charlie Chaplin
"One of the working titles of the film was" Charlie ". Discussing the story with a screenwriter, we used Charlie Chaplin's hero to emphasize one of the characteristics of Andrei Starikov - some absurdity. When Igor sent me the first version of Sinopsis, it was already spelled out that our teacher is in love with Chaplin and constantly paroding it. "
German actors
"In the" translator "removed the wonderful German actors Yoachim Paul Assbök and Hans-Georg Blumyter. Joachim immediately appeared as a possible executor of the role of the Schurmbanfürera: his portrait provided on the chalkboard with casting the entire preparatory period. Then I went to Berlin at meetings and samples, and some inaccuracy arose with the organization. So part of those who were interested in the actors did not come to exactly the day when Khaev arrived. And it was an exciting choice for me - one of one, Joachim Paul Assbian and Hans-Georg Blumurater. But during the filming, I never disappointed in the choice. The German actors struck me with their attitude to the profession, it is interesting to work with them, we invented many things together. For example, Joachim suggested that in the scene shooting Charlie his hero sings. And all two weeks before these filming threw me with different variants of the songs - he himself digged, chose, understanding about the problems with the rights. "
Taganrog
"The filming of the film, which lasted 36 days passed in Taganrog. The choice of this city is partly the rudiment of the old scenario, where the Rostov region was spelled out. And partly because Igor Ogrulya is from Rostov, he is the Don Cossack. We immediately wanted to shoot in these places, especially since there was an occupation and fight against this occupation. We initially represented the Southern Multinational City. As a result, we went to those edges and stopped at Taganrog. "
Scenery
"The courtyard and the house where the hero lives, demanded a strong completion, because to our arrival there was a refuge of local homeless. We took the school and the German headquarters in the same building, where, by the way, a public house was located during the German occupation. "