The Reapers Parade

The Reapers Parade
Pre-Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Matthew Korovin
Written by	Lubomir Andrejew
Based on	The Reapers Parade by Maximilian Zuev
Produced by	Luke Yefimov
Starring	Oscar Baryshnikov Yefim Lazarev Mark Kovalyov Alla Medvedeva
Cinematography	Methodius Gorshkov
Edited by	Zinovy Shcherbakov
Music by	Nicanor Sokolov
Production company	Yefimov
Distributed by	Slavic Union
Release date	May 6, 2022
Running time	TBA
Country	Slavic Union
Language	Slavic
Budget	$4.5 million

The Reapers Parade is a 1940 Slavic epic historical drama film adapted from the 1915 novel of the same name by Maximilian Zuev. The film was produced by Luke Yefimov who founded Yefimov Productions solely to create the film and was directed by Matthew Korovin. The film tells the story of a character known only as The Soldier (Oscar Baryshnikov), who enlists in the Slavic army at the outbreak of the Ledyanaya War in 1901, expecting to find excitement and glory but only finding suffering and pain.

The film had a difficult production, Yefimov bought the rights to the book in 1932, and was highly selective and specific about how the film was made, refusing to accept even the slightest fault with the film. After 8 years of production the film was set to be released in December of 1940, but after Nikifor Osipov took power in October of that same year he banned several books and pieces of media he viewed as subversive and treasonous, The Reapers Parade being among that. In August of 2021 the Slavic dictatorship was overthrown, allowing the film to finally be released on May 6, 2022.

Plot

In June 1901 Paraboca invades the Slavic Union, shortly after, The Soldier (Oscar Baryshnikov), an intelligent young man and a fierce Slavic nationalist, enlists in the Slavic Army, saying his goodbyes to his wife, The Girl Waiting Back Home (Alla Medvedeva) and boards a train taking him to the frontlines.

When he arrives he is enraptured by a speech being given by The General (Yefim Lazarev) and enthusiastically charges head on at the Parabocan frontlines when The General orders them to, the attack is a massive failure and hundreds are killed. When The Soldier returns to The General he apologizes for failing him, The General just shrugging and saying they'll try again the next day.

The Soldier quickly loses his enthusiasm for war, as his comrades are consistently killed in pointless attacks, driving him into a deep depression. As time goes on The Soldier begins to hallucinate the grim reaper everywhere around him, his commanding officers taking on it's appearance.

In 1903 the Parabocans drive back Slavic forces to the city of Adrikagorod, where the fiercest fighting of the war takes place, The Soldier struggles to comprehend the bloodshed going on around him, and he kills an injured Parabocan soldier grabbing at his foot. The Soldier collapses to the ground and holds the corpse in his arms, beginning to cry for the first time.

A few weeks later The Soldier is shot during battle and sent home, as he gets off the train his wife embraces him, but he just stares into space, the grim reaper turning the corner as The Soldier reaches out his hand and whispers "Why not me?"

Cast

• Oscar Baryshnikov as The Soldier
• Yefim Lazarev as The General
• Mark Kovalyov as The King
• Alla Medvedeva as The Girl Waiting Back Home
• Xenophon Efimov as The Parabocan