From “One Among Strangers” to “The Barber of Siberia.” 5 films by Nikita Mikhalkov about the soul of Russia

Recently, the famous Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov turned 80 years old. In honor of this, we decided to collect five of his best films.

Everyone has already received cult status, and for some he even received an Oscar nomination. Let’s go.

1. Five evenings

Genre: drama, melodrama
Audience rating: ⭐️ 8.2 (Kinopoisk), ⭐️ 7.6 (IMDb)
Country: USSR
Director: Nikita Mikhalkov
Cast: Stanislav Lyubshin, Lyudmila Gurchenko, Igor Nefedov, Larisa Kuznetsova, Alexander Adabashyan

Twenty years ago, fate brought them together, but the war scattered them along different roads. Now Ilyin and Tamara Vasilievna are together again – and feelings that seemed long gone have come to life with the same force.

Where to watch: Google

2. One among strangers, a stranger among one’s own

Genre: action, drama
Audience rating: ⭐️ 8.2 (Kinopoisk), ⭐️ 7.3 (IMDb)
Country: USSR
Director: Nikita Mikhalkov, Eduard Volodarsky
Starring: Yuri Bogatyrev, Alexander Kaidanovsky, Alexander Kalyagin, Sergei Shakurov, Alexander Porokhovshchikov.

South of Russia, 1920s. The civil war seems to be over, but the peace is still shaky. A gang of former white officers attacks a train carrying gold – at most, what was intended to buy bread for the starving. Five friends who passed the front on the side of the Reds entered into a deadly confrontation with them.

When suspicion of treason flares up in their ranks, one of the fighters is forced to go into hiding. Now he has to return the stolen gold – and with it his own name.

Where to watch: Google

3. Tired of the sun

Genre: drama, military, history
Audience rating: ⭐️ 7.8 (Kinopoisk), ⭐️ 7.8 (IMDb)
Country: Russia, France
Director: Nikita Mikhalkov
Cast: Oleg Menshikov, Nikita Mikhalkov, Ingeborga Dapkunaite, Nadezhda Mikhalkova, Andre Umansky

Summer 1936. The country is celebrating the fourth anniversary of Stalin’s airship construction. Divisional Commander Kotov is relaxing at the dacha with his family – surrounded by laughter, conversations, sun and a feeling of eternal happiness.

It seems like this will always be the case. No one, not even Kotov, wants to believe that this serene day will ever end – and will not happen again.

Where to watch: Google

4. A few days in the life of I.I. Oblomov

Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy, history
Audience rating: ⭐️ 8.0 (Kinopoisk), ⭐️ 7.6 (IMDb)
Country: USSR
Director: Nikita Mikhalkov
Starring: Oleg Tabakov, Yuri Bogatyrev, Andrei Popov, Elena Solovey, Avangard Leontyev.

Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is a landowner whose life passes in lazy peace, between sleep and dreams of what has not been done. His energetic friend Andrei Stolts unsuccessfully tries to get him out of this hibernation.

During one of his visits, Stolz introduces Oblomova to the Ilyinsky family, and a tender feeling flares up between Ilya Ilyich and Olga.

Where to watch: Google

5. Siberian Barber

Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy, history
Audience rating: ⭐️ 7.9 (Kinopoisk), ⭐️ 7.6 (IMDb)
Country: Russia, France, Italy, Czech Republic
Director: Nikita Mikhalkov
Cast: Oleg Menshikov, Julia Ormond, Richard Harris, Alexey Petrenko, Marina Neyolova

During the reign of Alexander III, the American adventurer McCracken tries to secure a contract for the production of a steam sawmill called “The Barber of Siberia.”

To win over officials to his side, he brings the charming Jane to Moscow. Her mission is to charm General Radlov and achieve his consent to the project. But on the way to Russia, Jane meets the cadet Andrei Tolstoy, and this meeting changes everything.

Where to watch: Google

🍿 More to see

▸ Hits 2025! These 7 films blew up the box office and left us in complete delight

▸ 7 films of 2025 that collected worldwide box office. Be sure to pay attention if you haven’t already.

▸ 7 films and TV series from 2025 that you can’t ignore. Top new releases that will steal your weekend