Original subtitles

DomFilm Cinema Company

With the assistance of cinema studio Eurofilm-Service PRESENTS

STARRING Pavel Derevyanko

THE NINE LIVES OF NESTOR MAKHNO

ALSO STARRING Ada Rogovtseva Kirill Pletnev and Daniil Byelih

SCREENPLAY Igor Bolgarin Victor Smirnov

DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY Oleg Maslov-Lisichkin Igor Primiskiy

ART DIRECTOR Pyotr Koryagin

COMPOSERS Igor Myelnichuk Pavel Krahmalyov

SOUND DIRECTOR Yuri Chyeh

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Felix Kleyman Victor Prihodko

PRODUCER Vladimir Dostal

DIRECTOR OF CINEMATOGRAPHY Nikolai Kaptan

TRANSLATION AND SUBTITLES Dmitriy Ostrovskiy

[EPISODE ELEVEN] Here you go, boys.

[GULYAIPOLYE, 1919] Try this, it's Greek food. Enjoy.

No, Timosh.

I don't believe you, Timosha!

I just don't believe that in only ten days...

our entire military treasury... all our communal funds!

What did you do, buy an estate? Or what? Tell me.

Just wanted to like a little bourgie.

Ten days is plenty.

In ten days! Who are you lying to, Marusya?

Boys! You know what? In these ten days...

I lived so well that now I'm not afraid to die.

Shoot me, boys! Shoot me.

Does anyone have something to say in Timosh's defence, something good?

Alright then.

The people have agreed to accept

Timofey Lashkeyvich's proposal to shoot him.

Sashko, Syomka! Pour another.

Rest in peace.

Oh, [look at the] sun! I sure hope it doesn't start raining.

That's it then.

"FIRST REGIONAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE FREE SOVIETS"

[Yekaterinoslav] "FIRST REGIONAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE FREE SOVIETS"

"FIRST REGIONAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE FREE SOVIETS"

Come on now, speak! Express yourselves! What are you all so quiet for, well?

Come on, come on.

I have come to this assembly to say to all...

Why don't you take the podium and say it?

No, I will not. -Why so?

I tend to forget all my words up there at the podium.

You have started talking about free soviets here, and perhaps

these are good for the peasantry.

After all, they own their means of production: cows, horses, chickens,

geese... Manure's all in its place.

Grain in the storage, cabbage in the patch. [They] sow it themselves and harvest it themselves.

Need money? Mount a horse,

ride out to the city, and sell to us workers some salad,

flour, potatoes, all that, am I right?

Now let's look at this from another side.

For us, for the workers,

what free will is there for us?

Do we get free will? -No, we don't.

As for our own landhold, we have none.

What is it that makes up production? What?

Semi-finished pre-packs, batches of slag, right?

Charcoal... and they're all stored together.

And not in the barn!

This is why we need an owner, and power! Am I right?

These are menshevist smears!

Go elect your own management!

Then set your prices, for example determine how many pounds of bread

equal one load of your product.

How can I set a price?

What about cost of shipping? It's one price today, another tomorrow...

They want their money in advance, of course,

and where can I get it, if I haven't even created my product yet?

Maybe you need the Bolsheviks then!

So go to them! They love taking ownership, just look at our village!

We built a commune.

And what for?

They tore down the cow stables, destroyed half the livestock!

So go to them, they're exactly whom you're looking for, go!

Don't try to scare me with your Bolsheviks. Got it? Don't intimidate.

It is possible to find a common language with them, it's possible.

As long as there's work and the paychecks come on time...

But you, kulaks, can only think of profits, nothing else!

I'm a kulak now? I'm a kulak? Hoooooly shit, haha.

I lost all my fingernails doing real damn work!

What is this? Everyone sit! What, have you all lost your minds?

Look at him, eh? Animal!

We are here to create the world's first-ever

anarchist republic. There is a lot we do not understand,

but infighting won't solve anything.

The first-ever stateless society is being created.

Look at you and your woman. Is this not government?

You little bitch!

We, you piece of shit, are the armed formation protecting you from the enemy,

both white and red, as well as all manner of dictatorship!

So that we can be free to sit here and chat

about how to best build an anarchist society.

Allow me to speak.

I am a Bolshevik myself.

Along with my regiment

I joined batko's army because there are

different kinds of Bolsheviks. Right?

What I'm saying is, we have freedom and liberty here, so...

please allow me to put a comma here.

For example,

Our Zadov has created a counterintelligence service for us.

This CI spread like mice across the cities and villages.

There are executions every night!

Robberies! Is this really freedom?

It is violence and disorder.

Here is what I think. Not because I'm against Glyba,

but because the Bolsheviks

also have the Cheka, eh? Right.

Committing violence, pillaging and robbing just the same.

You like it so much? Go join the reds!

You missed my point, Fyedos.

What is there to understand? What?

What I'm saying is the Bolsheviks have power! And order!

What do we have then? Disorder?

Complete and wilful disorder!

Enough!

That is enemy propaganda!

It's not propaganda at all!

Enough! Enough!

Glyba, listen! You hear me?

Nestor Ivanovich is calling you. You hear me?

What for?

Get dressed, come on. Nestor Ivanovich calling. -I will be right there.

Stop here.

You know what's up.

Bastards! "Comrades in battle."

At least finish me, you cowards.

We wouldn't spare a red.

[Taganrog. Denikin HQ]

Anton Ivanovich. We have pushed the Makhnovists back to the Dniepr.

But cavalry divisions have worn thin.

We had to extend the right flank and leave Voronezh.

So Makhno has not been crushed?

Not yet.

His ranks keep swelling with more peasants.

Extend the left flank,

then take the Slashev corps and

throw them all at Makhno.

But Slashev is our final reserve, Anton Ivanovich.

This means not only a retreat, but...

Failure. Of the whole operation. I understand.

But even for a retreat, a foothold is required.

Can't retreat over an enemy position.

We must crush Makhno.

Stop, stop.

Stop.

Where are they? The tachankas?

I sent half to go around, part of the rest got stuck in the swamp.

They are right here in this forest. Here!

Now we can't get across the fields.

We need to get across Cherkasy bridge to Alexandrovsk.

Batya, what do we need Alexandrovsk for?

It's way too white right now.

We will smash them. Then on to Crimea.

Crimea's a fortress. You know better.

Where are the machine-guns?

Batko, I'm telling you, they're stuck!

Where are the reserves?

Batya, you're like a small child! They have the reserves. Ammunition, everything!

There they go. We got real lucky on this one.

Lucky?

Listen, batya. -Get lost.

Hey, batko.

What's up, boys?

For real? Is this Sashko Lepetchenko?

What did you do, Sashko? Leaving your regiment?

In Soviet Russia, regiment leaves you.

They mutinied against me and left to join the Bolsheviks.

Let me get a smoke, boys.

I had such hopes for your regiment.

It's ok, it's not over. We'll break through to Crimea

and create an anarchist republic there.

What's going on, Sergey Sergeyevich? Eh?

[TROTSKY HQ WAGON] What's going on, Sergey Sergeyevich? Eh?

[TROTSKY HQ WAGON]

[TROTSKY HQ WAGON] Slashev's by Melitopol.

No word on clashes with Makhno.

They lose him or what?

No, not in this weather.

Makhno left for the steppe. It's his habitat.

But in doing so, he lost

his main advantage - mobility.

Now is the time to destroy him.

Makhno is our ally for now.

For now. Only for now. Revolution, during wartime, just like

ordinary life, in fact, Sergey Sergeyevich,

involves certain opportune moments which cannot be missed.

They cannot be calculated in advance

by pure logic. You need intuition.

So then, Makhno...

is half-crushed by the retreating general Slashev...

That means Makhno's fate is sealed, as far as we're concerned too.

Lenin has been saying since long time ago,

"used to be a fellow traveller of the revolution, now he's an enemy."

We will help Slashev. That is all.

It will end Makhno for us. Forever.

SYEVROS. Write a radiogram for this...

in the Ukrainian government, who is our?..

Rakovskiy.

To Rakovskiy, Cosyor, Zatonskiy.

Let them once again declare Makhno an outlaw.

As a highwayman...

and a bandit.

Where are you going? -Away, reds over there!

What are you talking about? Are reds enemy now?

Turns out they are! Nearly took out our whole regiment, those scum!

We came to them as people! They had red banners!

They took up their sabres! Their machine-guns! To hell with them!

What are you screaming about like a woman?

These weren't real Bolsheviks!

No, Kozha! These are the real Bolsheviks.

It's their "trintrinternational..."

and the Hungarians are with them too. Also Estonians.

No, boys, they can't be reasoned with.

They seek our death. Right?

"Give up your batko Makhno and go where you please," and we...

say we do it, brothers, right?

Listen, batya. Batya.

Batya.

Batya, what do you think?

You see all them rats over by the house?

What rats, batya? What house?

Maybe an old wound reopened?

No, all wounds healed long ago.

He is warm.

He must have typhus.

Turn around! -Turning, turning.

Your excellence, I am colonel Danilevskiy,

commander of the Ulanov detachment. Sent to destroy Makhno.

Who sent you?

Me, your excellence.

Colonel, it's a layered cake here right now.

I'm chasing batko, the reds chase me. It's mixed up.

My task is to outsmart everyone.

Break through to Crimea and block the isthmus.

In defence from Makhno and from the reds, Crimea is our last stand.

You want Makhno! What for? Come with us.

I cannot, I gave my word -To whom?

Myself.

To Nenasytnoe [village].

[Unknown farm, 1920]

Where are we?

In Crimea?

Galina!

The main thing is to block off the isthmus.

They cannot get across in such cold.

Have I been like this for long?

Long enough for the whole house to catch it.

We got all the way through to Melitopol, batya.

Crimea was right there, nearby, within arm's reach.

The reds wouldn't let it go. While we were fighting, Slashev took Crimea.

And that's it! Basta.

He's locked the door and there he sits now.

I have always said Slashev is a very smart general.

Where are all the boys? -All over, batya.

Many died. Some from typhus, others from reds' bullets.

Some of the commanders are hiding at the farms.

Some of the boys have joined the red army.

So what then? Who is left?

Five people from CI.

You and me.

Yurko and Galina.

Such is our [entire] company.

So what, this is our entire army then?

This is it, batya.

There's no way it's all over.

What about our republic?

What, then, did god - or whoever is up there- leave me alive for?

No. This is not the end, boys.

It's not over yet.

It's not over!

What's up, Syomka? Have you come to arrest us?

This is no time for jokes, batka.

As soon as I heard that Makhno had been spotted at the

Nedeyev farm, I mounted up and went straight there.

What was there?

Your brother was killed.

Grigoriy. Sashko Lepetchenko.

Six others too. They didn't want to give up their bread.

Who killed them?

Estonians. Estonian division under the farm's landlord.

Come with us, Nestor.

Let's chop up as many as we can.

Ammunition belts are ready.

Three-thousand loose rounds, batya, look. Well?

Hold on, take it easy.

Let's think on this a little. We will send scouts.

The first battle we win, all the people wronged by

the Bolsheviks will come to us.

Oh, so many will come.

Come on.

[Nedeyev farm]

Ok, batko. About hundred Estonians, two machine-guns

One there, another one there.

They sleep by the silo, afraid to quarter houses.

Alright then.

Suppress the machine-guns with grenades.

Park the tachanka across from the silo.

Don't let them escape. Burn down the silo.

Go on!

Hey, man.

Are the shepherds here on our side?

They're ours for sure, he's keeping an eye out for us.

Take their switches and feed bags.

Get behind him and follow.

If you're spotted, rush the machine-guns at point blank.

Understood. Syova! Ah?

Let's go! Show them what glory looks like.

Let's go, Chyernish. Let's do it.

Let's go, boys!

What's up, Estonian citizens?

This is our method:

Commanders and commissars are summarily executed.

As for the enlisted, those who...

Actually, things don't look so good for the enlisted either.

Because you are citizens foreign to our home land,

and you are fighting, as I understand, for money.

You are killing for money.

So our conversation with you will be...

There won't be any conversation.

As once said by my acquaintance, the now-deceased

prosecutor, "there are no mitigating circumstances to be found."

Chop firewood.

Here's the situation, batka. The Poles have captured

Belarus and a part of Ukraine along the left shore of the Dniepr.

The reds have moved against the Poles.

The Crimea front is now partially open.

Any day now Wrangel could

leap out of Crimea.

It's fairly open in the reds' rear, only Cheka and culinary detachments.

Can we reoccupy Gulyaipolye and the surrounding area?

Yes! Lads. Our bright future has come.

Not quite. It's still a long way to our happy lives, Fyedos.

The problem is that, from the Don,

Budyonov is coming for us.

My sources say he has an order to lay waste to the Makhnovist region

and to seize all produce.

Let's eliminate them!

First of all, Budyonov has 25,000 sabres,

an armoured train, armoured road transport, aircraft...

You try and destroy all that.

Second...

Budyonov's Cossacks are also all peasants.

Third, Budyonov is moving on the Poles.

It's not in our interest to impede him.

It could happen that the Poles get all the way to us.

God forbid.

I think that we must seek peace with the reds.

No. What are you saying?

All they know is stealing from peasants, lie in every newspaper column,

Being lazy... Basta. We have no path in common with the reds.

Here's an idea, batka.

Let's not impede the reds.

Let them fight the Poles.

In the meantime, we enter their rear by the Don,

raise up the Cossacks. They won't see it coming.

An entire Cossack-peasant army raised up right behind their backs.

This forms a new wave, making path for a third revolution.

Not a bad idea. Not at all.

But we won't go in force, as one column,

but staggered/dispersed. Just in case...

Because what makes the Cossacks tick, we still

don't quite yet completely know... -Perhaps.

Let's do it, batka.

[Uspenovka village]

[Uspenovka village] What's up? Makhnovists are right outside Uspenovka, not entering.

Seems like they're going to move past.

Dismissed.

Give me Utyepov.

Alexander Pavlovich! Yes.

Makhno's about to push through my regiment's area.

Requesting artillery reinforcements.

No. Alexander Pavlovich, artillery, specifically artillery,

with antipersonnel payloads, yes.

They are fighting desperately, they will reach the position, no doubt.

We will withstand it. Much obliged.

Runners [in the open]! Fire!

Fire!

What is this ambush?

Levka, that bastard, probably told them.

Boys! Follow me! Let's go!

There he is. In the white hat, you hear me?

Come on, get him!

Guide my belt!

[Trotsky HQ Wagon]

[Trotsky HQ Wagon] Makhno has four conditions. -Wow.

[Trotsky HQ Wagon] The first:

Move all heavily wounded into our hospitals

By the way, Makhno himself needs a complicated operation.

Second: independence for the insurrectionary army

and elections for its commanders.

Third: freedom of anarchist agitation and

release of anarchists from prisons

And fourth?

They ask for anarchists to be granted at least one county in the

Yekaterinoslav region for the purpose of

the construction of a free peasant landhold.

You think he might be asking for a bit too much here, this batka?

The satisfaction of the fourth condition alone

would mean the start of the collapse of our republic.

Well? Mikhail Vasilyevich, what do you think of this?

Over these past three days, I have conducted an inspection of the units on the Southern front.

It made a disheartening impression.

Forces arriving from the Polish front need rest and replenishment.

The rear has been wrecked by Makhnovists.

There are no provisions. Hunger.

The red army's soldiers naked, and many are defecting to Makhno.

Mutiny is possible.

Lenin demands that these forces break Wrangel and immediately

take Crimea. In these circumstances,

neutralisation of Makhno's forces is simply essential to survival. That's all I have.

Alright. Let's say we sign this agreement with them, we'll sign it.

But... to surrender a county, in Novorozhye, that's a bit much... No.

We should give a hint. Cast a hook, with Crimea as bait.

It's blessed land. Remember how badly Makhno wanted to take it

half a year ago? Let's hint that we will give him Crimea if

he will help us take it.

Are you sure that

Makhno will believe us when we say that we will give him Crimea?

He's not that naive.

Did you study psychology by Adler?

By Freud. Ok, by Freud too. "The dream is more compelling than mind's reason,"

and these anarchists with their [lofty] ideas, they're like small children.

Bloody children.

Hmm, yes... bloody.

Batka!

Nestor Ivanovich. A telegram from Crimea.

Read it.

"To all forces on the Southern front.

"Budyonov's first cavalry and the Latvian division

"broke through Wrangel's defences at the Kahovsk foothold.

"They advance to Crimea.

Tell Chyernish immediately. Mobilise the villages.

We can't let the reds take Crimea before us.

Hurry.

Alright, Galina, let's go for a walk.

What are you doing, Galina? Is this funny to you? By god...

[CRIMEA. LAKE SIVASH]

You red or what?

Red! And you? I'm black, mate.

That's why you can't see me. Let's walk together.

Corps commander Mironov.

Corps commander Karetnik.

You hear that? That earthquake? That's gen. Borbovich's cavalry corps approaching.

Five thousand sabres, select grade! My second division

nearly all laid down [before them]. Before it's too late, step aside.

Assume a defensive position.

We are here because we want to fight them.

That's your will. Borbovich is the main reserve commander

under Wrangel. I wouldn't joke with him.

Such extortion tends to put us in the mood for jokes.

Alright then. If you beat Borbovich,

Crimea is ours! If not, -stay put!- he will drown all of you.

Good luck!

Detachment! Follow me!

Boys! Chop firewood! Let's go!

[SEVASTOPOL. Wrangel's office]

[Sevastopol. Wrangel's office] Pyotr Nikolayevich! Pyotr Nikolayevich!

Borbovich's cavalry corps is practically destroyed.

How? This can't be.

Makhno's tachanka machine-guns. At point blank.

Your orders:

The army must withdraw expeditiously.

Begin loading the ships.

The Crimean epic is coming to an end.

Pasha.

Russia is no more.

[SEVASTOPOL. Wrangel's office] May I come in, Mikhail Vasilyevich?

Yes.

What do you have for me?

Urgent. Secret. "To commander of South front Frunze.

"Per directive from republic's highest authorities,

"you must immediately surround, attack, and

"destroy all Makhno army units located in Crimea.

"Shoot all commanders preemptively.

"Do not let a single Makhnovist break out of the Crimean bottleneck.

"This will ensure the end of the anarchist

"insurrection. Sklyanskiy."

Isn't this ignoble?

Why aren't there direct signatures? Why Sklyanskiy?

Tenth step down the chain of command.

Who would want to leave his signature beneath such orders?

Send reply.

"I await orders with direct signatures.

"Categorically disagree with the task.

"Frunze."

Better to go and fight than to direct such operation.

Of course, what "operation" is this? It's an execution.

"You already made a mistake

"by declaring amnesty for the surviving whites.

"Do not make another. There will be no other signatures. Sklyanskiy."

Orders must be carried out, Mikhail Vasilyevich.

I already planned this.

We will call a soviet, invite Makhno's commanders, and...

Carry it out.

Your documents.

Regimental commander of the Mozirsky forces, reg. cmdr. Afyesin is headed to the mud clinic

to treat wounds to his extremities.

Go ahead.

[CRIMEA. SAKI. Mud clinic] I'm not going to their soviet.

[CRIMEA. SAKI. Mud clinic] What do I have to talk to them about?

[CRIMEA. SAKI. Mud clinic] Day four without food.

Day four without food.

They promised ammunition.

They feed us only grapes.

No, no, no, I'm not going. -Neither am I. To the pigs with them!

We are still armed. Still have ammunition enough to get more.

Never had love for any of them.

No, boys. Frunze is serious.

Former convict. He is like our batko.

A revolutionary! I will go.

Are you sure? -Yup.

Well then, I'm going too.

Is something on fire?

What do you have for us? Have you brought us some sausage?

What kind of sausage you prefer? Blood sausage, or with shrapnel?

You know something?

Maybe I do, maybe I don't. But I know what I see.

There are such patrols out there, with cannons. Like a border blockade.

Anyway, there was an order from batka -

hurry up and leave Crimea, quickly.

What?

So what, they are not giving us Crimea?

They will catch up to you and then you will see what you get.

Come on now, Kozha, protect your neck.

I have to go, my n***o brothers.

I will find out what's up. I will go myself and ask them.

This way two of us will not have to die. If I die you will get over it.

Load!

Do it, you scum! Batko will show you justice!

Hey! Come on now, stop! I'm friendly. Brigade commander Polyna.

How are you "friendly?" -Red scum.

Easy. -Boys!

There was an order from Moscow to destroy the entire Makhno army.

My boys are behind you. I will let you through.

Do not go to the isthmus.

Blyukher is there, waiting for you with tanks.

It's fine, it's fine. You will get another chance at a bath before long.

By the way, take two of my cavalry companies.

They have asked to join you. Brig. cmdr.!

What's up, will you take us?

Do you seek death? -Death? Is that how you feel about Bolsheviks?

They are stuck across my throat. -Across MY ASS as well.

You can't eat and I can't shit.

Look, Zadov, the comrade is talking about butts. -He will be joining me then.

May I? -Yes.

Comrade commanders, Makhnovists managed to exit

to northern Tavria with almost no losses.

Why did you let them through?

Our Crimean forces do not want to fight against peasants.

Reconnaissance says many joined their ranks.

It's this region here.

Alright, right here by Timoshovka.

We will set an ambush for them.

They have no other path.

We will throw Budyonov's fresh regiments at them,

which have not been to Crimea.

Transfer all our field artillery there. Execute.

Got it.

[STARIY KREMENCHIK VILLAGE]

Batko!

Boys! The boys are coming!

Why are you crying?

It's just... cold winds.

Here it is, batko.

The victorious Crimean army.

Where is the army?

The army?

There's no more army, batka.

The Bolsheviks...

killed them like blind kittens...

Chopped them all up.

Bolsheviks?

CAST Pavel Derevyanko as Nestor Makhno Ada Rogovtseva as Evdokiya Makhno

Yevgeniy Knyazyev as Trotsky Daniil Byelih as Fedor Schus

Kirill Pletnev as Vladislav Danilevskiy Lesya Samayeva as Maria

Anna Slyu as Galina Kuzmenko Igor Gnezdilov as Timofei Lashkevich

Andrey Zhurba as Sashko Lepetchenko Alexandr Zhukovin as Semyon Karetnikov

Yuri Molchanovskiy as Marko Lyevadniy Vladimir Bashkirov as Yurko Chernigovskiy

Constantine Kostyshin as Grigoriy Makhno Vyacheslav Vasilyuk as Savva Makhno

Oleg Primagenov as Lyeva Zadov Nikolai Oleynik as Ded Pravda

Vasiliy Ivishina as Trohim Boyko Vladimir Andreiev as Foma Kozhin

Andrey Maslov-Lisichkin as Sashko Klein Alexandr Kochubey as Pavel Timoshenko

Sergei Boiko as Pavel Glyba Valery Lyegin as Chyernish

Anna Ukolova as Marusya Nekifirova Igor Slavinskiy as Pyotr Arshinov

Sergei Kucherenko as Grigoryev Vladimir Golosnyak as Slashev

Nikolai Butkovskiy as The Commandant Alexander Bezsmertniy as Denikin

Fyodr Olhovskiy as Kamenev Valeriy Shalyga as Frunze

Alexey Vertinskiy as Wrangel

Episode also starring: Alexander Boiko, Igor Bulakovskiy, Andrey Burlaka,

Valeriy Vinnichenko, Igor Volkov, Yulia Dyehtyarenko, Georgiy Zhukov,

Vyacheslav Dovzhenko, Nikolai Zapisochniy, Oleg Kovalenko, Yuri Kovalenko,

Vladimir Kokotunov, Vladimir Kolyada, Victor Koshelev, Ilya Matchin,

Igor Nazarov, Alexey Pochtovenko, Vyacheslav Slanko, Alexander Tarelko,

Alexey Traskovskiy. Writers: Igor Bolgarin and Victor Smirnov

Director of Cinematography: Nikolai Kaptan Directors of Photography: Oleg Maslov-Lisichkin and Igor Primiskiy

Art Director Pyotr Koryagin

Composers Pavel Krahmalyov and Igor Myelnichuk

Sound Director Yuri Chyeh

Directors Yuri Homenko and Natalia Kaptan

Operator: Alexander Boiko Editors: Anna Terenyeva, Alexander Timenko, Alexander Antonchenko

Costume designer Alla Shesterenko

Makeup artist Vasiliy Gorkaviy

Visual effects and titles DomVideo Company

Consultants: Lt. Gen. Vladimir Sytnik and Lt. Gen. Gregory Dyachuk

Director of Picture: Igor Yegorov Executive Producers: Felix Kleyman and Victor Prihodko

END OF EPISODE ELEVEN