Okhlobystin interview. Ivan Okhlobystin: “A real Russian man does not know how to live for himself

The film “Bird” with Ivan Okhlobystin in the title role, which will be released on May 18, may be the last in his career. The actor announced that he was leaving cinema and would focus on writing. Recently, Ivan published the fourth book, “Songs of the constellation Canes Venatici.” In an interview with StarHit, Okhlobystin shared why he was quitting filming, how he was raising his daughters, and why he called his wife a drowned woman.

"Santa Barbara" with diaper rash

Ivan, aren’t you afraid to leave profitable cinema?

We are Tushino punks. We were and remain so. During the period of lack of money, we lived as comfortably as when funds appeared. They just began to allow themselves a little more. On this moment I'm more interested in writing. It has many advantages. I will be at home. My wife, children and I will be able to organize hikes, ride bikes and go to our favorite dacha more often. I decided to quit acting out of gratitude to the audience. Television is a cruel thing. It will wring you out like a wet rag until you go minus 20 in the rating, and people will start spitting in your face. You have to be able to draw the line. By the way, this was the case with the series “Interns”. On the 300th episode we all creative team, stunned by the filming, went to the producer and said that it was time to close the project, otherwise the sitcom would turn into “Santa Barbara”, and even with diaper rash. If in the future I am offered a worthwhile movie with good money, then perhaps I will agree.

You act, you write. Do your children gravitate toward creativity?

My daughter Varya sings. When she was 7 years old, she told her mom and me that she wanted to learn to play the guitar. I followed the platinum proven scheme, a kind of Cartier version: I found the Palace of Pioneers, a teacher in a bow tie and with crimson on his cheeks. Varya studied there for four years, and then took up vocals. Now she is 18 years old and she sings. I advise: “Don’t lose your voice. It must be tuned, like a harpsichord, gradually.”

Will Varya go to Gnesinka?

No. She's graduating this year and has chosen medical school. We do not tolerate protégés in terms of education. This is all harmful. My daughters are children of a new generation. Varya believes that her earthly profession will not prevent her from practicing vocals. Her sister Dusa is 19 years old and shares the same opinion. Evdokia plays the electric guitar and is studying to become an ornithologist, studying birds. At the same time, she’s a fashionista for me, she’s good at dancing flamenco – she’s dark-haired and beautiful. Eldest daughter Anfisa, she is 20 years old, chose the specialty of marketing. The youngest children, sons - 11-year-old Savva and 16-year-old Vasya - have not yet decided on a profession.

Are they not interested in dad's work?

Indifferent. But if one of the children wants, I will not interfere. Anfiska is quite an adult, they can call the police on me. Being religious people, we remember one of the main postulates - you cannot come to the Lord by force. God is always a paradox. You understand that everything around is made by a person, and you also respect the personality in your children. They know that mom and I respect them too much to become a hindrance.

Do Anfisa and Evdokia have young people?

I think so, but I haven’t been introduced to it yet. They treat this issue delicately. I am also embarrassed, because there is an agreement that I will not influence their choice. I said: “When you realize that you are in love and are ready to create a relationship, then I will be forced to participate.” But they are girls of steel. And their mother is a woman from an ancient pagan legend. At the same time, nothing modern is alien to our daughters. They are interested in rags and steal mom’s dresses. They have similar tastes, but there is a difference. Evdokia likes something gothic. Varvara is passionate about the Normans and everything Scandinavian. Anfiska prefers New York style, a kind of hipster girl. And their younger sister Nyushka loves science. She is our cosmic Elfine.

Oksanka is a modest woman. She should have played Trinity in The Matrix. When we are in shopping centers, I provoke her all the time: let's buy you elegant dress so that you don’t feel like you’re drowned. Agrees. At the same time, the wife is a mischievous girl. Of course, I put the burden of raising six children on her shoulders, but she copes. If it weren't for Oksana, I would have died long ago.

Chingizid syndrome

Are you afraid or jealous that your daughters will soon fly out of the nest?

I'm not worried about everyday life. I know that they will get out of any situation, ten more people will be saved from the flood. As far as human relationships are concerned, sooner or later they will suffer. Like everyone else, they will face disappointments, unrequited love. They will organize small riots and do stupid things. But I’m not worried here either. The samurai Orthodox component makes itself felt. Well done Oksana! Our whole family takes communion and observes fasts. Both of our sons, Savva and Vasya, serve as altar servers in the Church of Sophia the Wisdom of God, which we have been visiting for 20 years. For boys this is a fairy tale.

The children have grown up. Did you feel that there were fewer problems?

Others appeared. But I have Chingizid syndrome, I am thick-skinned. If I used to be upset because of the loss of a suitcase, now because of the loss of two, not a single muscle moves on my face. Forced to live in broad categories. First children get sick, then they need to be taught, then all these falling in love... I also walked this path. I understand what is boiling in their souls.

Russia's historical role is to create the basis for a “new humanity” in the current conditions when external world lost myself. In harsh reality, the paradoxes of the mysterious Russian soul help people maintain an internal sense of necessity for the world, despite sanctions, reforms and the ruling elite with its “ugliness.”

This opinion in an interview RIA "New Day" from a “position of philanthropy” was expressed by the famous Russian actor, screenwriter and novelist Ivan Okhlobystin.

At the same time, according to his assessment, trouble is possible inside Russia, and the pension reform indicates that the economy is in trouble, and in the end the country will return to the monarchy.

About Putin, oligarchs and pension reform

I think it would be logical to assume that he (the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin) is making every effort, perhaps even partially provoking an international situation for our isolation - to bring money home, so that money can work at home, because the oligarchs pump it all out abroad. There are no good or bad people here. This is a common intrigue caused by the logic of the market. The market is ruthless, it is just a machine.

He (Putin) does all this through various methods, including foreign policy, but it doesn’t work because he himself is partly economically dependent. Imagine, one large state-owned company is surrounded on all sides by small selling companies. This is the market, a ruthless machine that does not give it the opportunity to take them by the throat or at least take away the excess that will immediately cover the pension.

The pension decision is extremely unpopular. The fact that they allowed themselves to make pensions at all - to make this reform, says that our economy is screwed up, that in the very near future there will be some strict decisions. We're not even talking about old people. They are unfortunate forced victims.

About “kryndets” and “buzu”

Likewise, there will be no revolution. Nothing is the same. Even snowflakes, despite their harmony, are different. There might be some kind of bug.

But there is a very strong imperial note in us - the understanding that when we are together, we support everyone, that we can, of course, simmer, but it’s better to go home later and all together, so that our land becomes even larger, the cabbage soup even more sour. We have Katehon (a state with a mission to prevent the final triumph of evil in history). It's internal, psychological. You need to decipher this for yourself.

I'm trying to be objective. I am generally a lover of humanity. Everyone is good with their own shortcomings. It is quite obvious that under sanctions we will live worse, more modestly, which does not mean bad. We probably even overjoyed life, because we stopped appreciating many things. We began to communicate even less. I'm not even talking about the information revolution and everything else.

The fuss will and will be stopped because we have a large territory and we have a very big responsibility. And the organizers of this very trouble will eventually self-destruct - they will smash themselves against the wall.

We cannot afford what France can afford, which needs to be looked at on the globe with a magnifying glass. And with us, wherever you grab the globe with your palm, everywhere our land is ours, we are responsible for it. Our chthonic (represents natural power) thinking is developed. We consider trees to be thinking.

Russia is woven from paradoxes, Russians are initially “enlightened”

We always get nostalgic for the seemingly unpleasant landscapes when we are on the most beautiful islands of the Bahamas. We have a lot of paradoxes, and with the help of these paradoxes we save ourselves a common understanding of the environment. We are not the most interesting people in terms of humor. We are not the most elegant, we are just different. And the external world has become lost within itself. He trusted too much market relations in our chaos.

We are a detached island, which is depicted in science fiction films, which flies. We stand on the edge of the Universe, we live, we know how, we know how to cling so that we are not carried away by the solar wind. We are not the neatest, but our women are the most romantic. Because of them they are killed, because of the rest, something goes wrong. French women are interesting, but this is short-term, but here the main course, as they say.

We - great people, but this advantage was given to us, we should not use it in our own selfish interests - we do not have the right to this, and inside we are psychologically built as good people who feel responsible for the world.

Russian people are initially already enlightened. He doesn't need anything. Here he sits, looking at the field - good! There is a woman - there is no woman... there is vodka - there is no vodka. Stuck.

There is hope for us that in the historical layer we will become the basis of a new humanity.

About the elite and the monarchy

They are also people from the people. When some object enters the atmosphere, it burns, overcoming air friction; this is such an aggressive environment for it. The ruling layers are in this area - in the circle of stress. They, of course, are richer than us and make a lot of stupid, rash decisions. But they are of us anyway. They perceive the world the same way we perceive it, they understand their ugliness, if it is ugliness, what is “good” and what is “bad”.

In the end, it seems to me that the situation will develop in such a way that we will come to a monarchy. Everyone laughs, but I... an adequate person. I am a Tushino punk and a drunkard. When I talk about the monarchy, the last thing in the world that can be accused of puritanism.

But in our country, it is impossible for a child to pass the grades; he needs to be accommodated, even if he is a 6 in school, but, on the other hand, if there is an unfair verdict, you can convince him with a bribe. This is Asian. A unique civilization.

Now many people have doubts: some are in the banking system, some are worried about their children, some are worried about getting a job. There is instability, but our civilization needs to be imposed with an adventurous spirit on the one hand, and on the other, strictly motivated that everything will be fine. Everything will be fine, for sure. If everything is done correctly, everything will be fine. According to the samurai code, if the opportunity presents itself, you must always choose death, this is the only way not to be afraid of death.

Moscow, Maria Vyatkina

Moscow. Other news 07.12.18

© 2018, RIA “New Day”

The other day Ivan Okhlobystin turned 51 years old. We visited him at the dacha, where Ivan Ivanovich is now writing new book.

The writer, who had given up acting, was caught doing everyday chores: Okhlobystin and his heirs Vasya and Savva were unloading firewood. The sons worked together and resignedly let their dad record an interview for the TV program magazine.

“We don’t know how to live in peace”

— Ivan, you are now writing books and raising children. You don’t act often, but on the contrary, they send you scripts often, right?

- ...And for the most part these scenarios are uninteresting. Cinema is now at the mercy of amateurs, unfortunately. Countless producers, after reading three novels by Dostoevsky and watching two films by Francis Ford Coppola, think they know everything. They dictate the taste, and there’s nothing you can do about it. And I don’t really want to be under this yoke. I am not a burden to others, but I live and work for my own pleasure.

— If countless Russian TV series are being filmed, it means they are watching — demand creates supply.

“Of course, human culture cannot be blamed here. It's just such a paradox of new products appearing on the market information technologies. Those who want can now watch quality movies on the Internet.

Photo: Daria BUKHAROVA

— Now some people receive education online or often in absentia, not wanting to lose five years. Now the experience comes first, not the crust. You can graduate from drama school, but never act in a movie or sit at a supermarket checkout with a diploma in economics. Do you and your wife explain to your children that they need to get a diploma, or do you not insist?

- We must strive for education - life is short, and we must try to pass on the maximum to our children. The child must be properly motivated to strive to learn. By purchasing higher education, children do not always acquire knowledge - you can remain a fool even after receiving a diploma. The child comes under the influence of standards in the field that he is mastering, gets acquainted with literature, music that is interesting to his circle of like-minded people. The most important thing is that he has the same students around him, and the child gains a sphere of communication. In science this is called “egregor” - an environment, like a hive, in which you will be for the rest of your life, surrounded by people of your own mentality.

— This year, your daughter, graduate Varya, chose to enter a medical university. Was it her choice or did you and your wife advise?

— Varya chose the Faculty of Medicine, this is her personal choice, she studied biology for a long time. We don’t put pressure on the children; they know that my mother and I value their respect too much to become a hindrance.

— Your dad was a doctor, so it turns out that Varvara has a hereditary passion for medicine?

— I don’t know, because no clinical conclusions can be given. May be. But I think another circumstance had an impact. We are surrounded by many doctors - a good audience, our old people's party. They are also blues singers. And willy-nilly Varya was fascinated by them. Then she always liked to study biology. It happens that you have to be immersed in some objects forcibly, and some are read like poetry. My literature was doing well, I loved to read, and watched a lot of movies. Despite the fact that he lived in the village, we had a very sophisticated projectionist, Uncle Borya. He went to the base to get trophy ribbons. The most watched movie in my childhood (you will laugh!) was “Remarriage” with Jean-Paul Belmondo. At the same time, we watched “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”, “Some Like It Hot”, films with Marlene Dietrich...

— None of the children have followed in your footsteps to VGIK yet. In which of the heirs is the artistic nature noticeable?

— Varya likes to sing, but she observed the hectic world of show business and realized that she did not want to depend on it, but she liked to create. Therefore, at the age of 18, Varya reasons correctly: the earthly profession of a doctor will not interfere with practicing vocals. Evdokia shares the same opinion. She is 19 years old, she plays the electric guitar with us and is studying to become an ornithologist - she likes birds. Nyusha writes well, but she is drawn to the Gothic. At the age of 15, she is a girl of the 33rd century - she does only what she wants, but easily makes sacrifices - she went to study music with her younger brother. Vasya, at the age of 16, writes periodically, and the older he gets, the closer we are to him - he “devours” bags of new books, goes to shooting and boxing. Savva is still small - he is 11 years old, but he is also trying to write something. The eldest Anfisa is 20 years old, she received the profession of a marketer, she works with pleasure in her specialty - she organizes events... All children are very different.

— Do your older daughters live with you?

— We haven’t gotten married yet, we live together. A large family is happiness, an opportunity to watch the birth of an entire civilization. Each of them, God willing, will have families, and I will have grandchildren. We are ready for anxiety, we don’t know how to live calmly with Oksanka. As soon as peace occurs, it means everything is bad: you need to go somewhere, do something, improve things.

— Savva said that even during the holidays he doesn’t forget to do math and read. Are you strict parents?

“I’m mainly in the reserves and I’m involved with Oksanka out of necessity, when there’s a war: I got bad marks, I forgot the banks, or something like that happens. Oksana teaches lessons with them, and is aware of everything that happens - in school, personal life, they trust her very much. For the sake of the children, she learned notes and English, she improves them in all subjects, and my principle in studying is primitive - the main thing is to get straight A's. She is such a mother - the earth is damp, and I am a distant homeland. I am a breadwinner, I try to travel with my family wherever possible, because memories are the main thing that can be given. My children and I have traveled halfway around the world, we go to the mountains, it’s a shame for them to complain.

— Does it happen that children come up to their father and ask for advice?

- It looks different. Let’s say I’m lying in the room, one of my daughters comes, impudently lies down, pushing me out of my favorite place. I mutter something, and she tells me how cunningly she decided to act, which means she is asking my opinion in a veiled way. And I, supposedly reluctantly, share possible options, experiments.

— Do you always have one of your children transitional age is coming. Is it difficult?

- It’s difficult, the child has a whole biochemical explosion, and nothing can be done, they are pathological liars at this time, they try to do everything the opposite, they are interested in the reaction of others. Teenage children do not yet have pain experience, so they are not afraid to touch life. Yes, they don’t really conflict, they see that we are such collective farmers that we don’t need to be persuaded, we are ready to delve into the situation. But over time, since our environment is comfortable, they adequately go through this period, thank God. And with us good company, and children, everyone comes to us.

- Don't worry about how your children will cope independent life?

- In everyday life, I don’t worry - they will get out of any difficult situation themselves and even save ten people from the flood. Of course, I understand that everyone expects difficulties in relationships - falling in love, disappointment... But I’m also not worried, because the samurai Orthodox component will help - Oksanka, my children and I keep fasts, take communion, our sons serve as altar servers in the Church of Sophia the Wisdom of God.

— Your wife is constantly in trouble, worrying about the house and children.

“I put a lot of weight on her shoulders, but she can handle it.” If it weren't for Oksana, I would have died long ago.

- Do children help their mother?

— Of course, we have a schedule of chores on the refrigerator - who cleans where when.

“We are Tushino punks”

— I know that you criticize the Unified State Examination. What do you see as the disadvantages of this child certification system?

- She's vicious. As I understand it, the Ministry of Education was told about this system at the dawn of the 90s because it is multi-sectoral. Apparently, there were gigantic financial injections. But this is biased testing of children. Academic knowledge involves the sequential study of one subject. There is no such thing here. There is a selection here that is available to everyone - anyone can memorize the answer to the question. Children simply train their memory, but do not acquire knowledge. Good teacher is the one that explains, and the genius is the one that inspires. Previously, academic education developed the child simultaneously in all spectrums human activity. We didn't have to worry about memorization because we relied on the objective judgment of the exam committee. Suppose you were taught by a mathematician, and you messed up on the exam - due to lack of sleep, a sore stomach... Anything can happen! But your teacher knows that you know the subject. They gave me the opportunity to improve. Therefore, there was a more objective picture. But now everything is different: missing points means disaster for many. Talented children who are unlucky with the Unified State Exam, and their parents do not have the money to pay for admission to a university, are forced to choose the specialty they qualify for with their scores.

— Did you get into VGIK easily? Now the competition is 200 people per place.

— And then there was a wild competition! There was something like that - there was always high competition there. I did it unexpectedly easily, but I was a hardworking youth. I passed the creative exams - sent two stories, a script, then we wrote an essay. The only mystery for me so far is how I managed, being by nature a pathologically illiterate person, to write an essay with an A grade. I was amazed: probably nervous soil... But, most likely, the dear lady who took the exam was amazed at the depth of the youth’s thoughts. Outwardly, I was very unattractive, so only the internal components could help me.

— So you went to study to become a director without any patronage?

- Absolutely. Our family was not represented in this market segment.

— Were you a fashionable student?

— I was more of a humorous character. My classmate and comrade Fedya Bondarchuk remembers me as still fashionable to the point of wildness: as if I arrived in a Tyrolean hat with a feather, with a hunting bag on which a duck was drawn. And there was no hat!

— Do you go to small homeland— in Maloyaroslavets?

— I used to travel all the time, but now I go less and less. My brother, grandmother, and great-grandmother are buried there. A wonderful young priest, Father John, serves in those parts. He performed the funeral service for my deceased brother. Father John remembers his brother all the time and takes care of the graves of my relatives. He and his mother Fotinya and I became friends. A wonderful family, they come to visit us in Moscow. They prepare endlessly delicious fireweed tea - they constantly send it to us in pillowcases. Nowadays the young clergy is mobile, very different from what it was before. The priests are intelligent, cheerful, enlightened people.

— You say that you are going to return to church soon. Would you like to serve in Moscow?

- We'll see how it goes. I really hope it’s in Moscow. I would like to be closer to the children. If you have to leave, your heart will be restless. And then - as God sends.

— Have you decided to give up cinema, are your plans only for writing?

— By September I hope to finish the book under the working title “ Unavoidable circumstances" I doubt that I will be able to do it in time, because there are a lot of household chores, but I will try.

• Evgeniy Vodolazkin, "Laurel"
• Aleksey Ivanov, “Heart of Parma”, “Gold of Rebellion” and other works
• Edward Rutherford, "NY"
• Mikhail Elizarov, "Cartoons"
• Vladimir Sharov, "Return to Egypt"
• Salman Rushdie, “The Sorceress of Florence” and other works
• Zakhar Prilepin. “I advise you to read any works by this author, because he does not write, but lives through literature,” says Okhlobystin.

— Do you write at night?

- Until four in the morning. I get up no later than 11. Lying in bed longer is inconvenient, and, to be honest, I can’t sleep.

— How did your book “Songs of the Constellation Canes Venatici” sell out?

— There have already been four reissues. Now the 4th printing is selling out, thank God.

— What does writer Ivan Okhlobystin need for inspiration at his dacha?

- Only will. Because there are thousands of distractions - drink tea, go see what’s jingling... You have to force yourself to work, to improve. Man is such a talented creature that he can learn anything. I don’t believe that a person can not know something.

— But what about the cinema? Are you really not going to act anymore?

“I’m more interested in writing now.” I’m busy doing what I love, I have more free time, so my wife and I can plan trips, hikes, and ride bikes. While you are making money, life can pass you by. Perhaps in the future, having received an offer to star in a good movie with good money, I will agree. I was around too many people, I had too many interactions. At the same time, I love people, I involuntarily compare them with myself and understand to what extent I am imperfect. Over the course of 5.5 years, my colleagues from the Interns became practically relatives to me: Svetka Permyakova, Sanka Ilyin, Ilyukha Glinnikov... I admire them!

— Fees for books are much lower than in films. Can you cope without movie money?

“We are Tushino punks, and during the period of lack of money, Oksanka and I lived just as well and comfortably as later, when money appeared. We simply began to allow ourselves a little more, we paid off our debts. I think life always compensates: if one is there, then the other is not. We need to treat this correctly. There is no need to complain, we need to try to make the most of what the Lord gives us. We happy people- we are alive and well, so it’s a sin to complain.

Private bussiness

Ivan Okhlobystin was born on July 22, 1966 in the Polenovo rest home, where his father worked (Zaoksky district Tula region). Graduated from the directing department of VGIK. The first film by director Okhlobystin, “Arbiter,” won at Kinotavr in the “Films for the Elite” category in 1991. He starred in more than 40 films and was a screenwriter for 25 films. In 2001 he was ordained a priest. He served in the Tashkent diocese, then in the Moscow Church of St. Nicholas and in the Church of Sophia the Wisdom of God. In 2010, Patriarch Kirill, at the request of Okhlobystin, temporarily released him from priestly service. His wife is actress Oksana Arbuzova. The couple has six children: 20-year-old Anfisa, 19-year-old Evdokia, 18-year-old Varvara, 16-year-old Vasily, 15-year-old Ioanna and 11-year-old Savva.

Photographer: Andrey Fedechko

Ivan Okhlobystin is one of the most famous modern actors, directors and screenwriters. His filmography includes such films as “DMB”, “House of the Sun”, “Down House”, “Priest-San. Confession of a Samurai" and many other works. But he is also a writer. In April 2017, he published a collection of stories, and in August.

We met and talked with him about the new book, creative plans and favorite writers.

You are a father of many children, an actor, director, screenwriter and writer. The question immediately arises: how were you able to find time to write a book? And how long did this process take you?

Not for long, but when you write, you get distracted. I have to - I have Chingizid syndrome. This means that if you are traveling somewhere and you have eight children; seven arrived - this is already a success. Yes, plus suitcases. And if ten, then eight is already a success. That is, I don’t pay attention to some little things. I am quite ascetic: it helps me move around and feel comfortable in the world around me. I have small demands on the world, although I am an egoist, of course, like any other person. And I understand that no one except me will do this - again this is due to having many children: you cannot explain to children the high political idea lack of food. You must nourish. And I just had to find time to write.

And hardening. Another person in a large audience feels discomfort, and I, you know, than more people, the more chaos, the better for me. Because I'm lost, I knew that my life would be connected with attention, but I didn't know that in such volumes. In principle, I should not have felt such volumes, because they are uncomfortable for me. By my first profession, I am a director - that person who is not particularly visible. I never wanted to be an artist, I didn’t want to act on television. It’s not that I was in denial about the whole thing, but I didn’t expect it. And so for me all this was a surprise, a shocking surprise. And during my experience, I gained some experience, including how to catch my little zen when everything around is boiling, everything is exploding, everyone is running, everyone is swearing, everyone is making peace, and you are on your phone, on your computer, on your tablet. ..

If we talk about your film and television career, which role do you consider the most successful? Which one did you like best?

I liked the Nightingale the Robber, of course, because I made it for myself as a souvenir. So I realized at some point that no one is interested in a good movie, everyone is interested in making a rollback that is more comfortable, but less dangerous. And since the picture of life became clear, I decided to live creatively for myself. I made “The Nightingale the Robber” with friends: it was fun for them and it was fun for the group. And thank God, we have zero to zero - I didn’t earn or lose anything on this, but if in terms of the artistic component, then, of course, “Noga”, because it had the following cast: Petya Mamonov, Nikita Tyagunov, Nadya Kozhushanaya . In general, I think that she is still one of the most powerful writers - she is a screenwriter, but she founded a whole movement that screenwriters are guided by. And working with her, I believe, big success and artistic achievement.

Yes, especially since the topic of the Afghan war was touched upon, and this is the very beginning of the 90s.

Yes, they did something strange. Despite the fact that he is sophisticated, the picture there was quite confusing...

Ordinary guys who served in Afghanistan were forced to watch it. Naturally, they were hoping for a comedy with naked women, I was like that too in those days, but they were forced to watch about the war. They came up to me and not familiarly, but a little surprised, saying that it was strange - they didn’t understand everything, but this one, more than other films, conveys what they experienced: melancholy, phantom pain, all the internal fractures that a person And human soul gets in the war. That is, of course, “Leg”, yes.

By the way, about “fractures of the soul.” You wrote the script for the film Down House, in which you interpreted the novel in a certain way . You have no desire, in approximately the same manner, to write a script or perhaps make a film based on some other classic book in the near future?

I don’t know, it’s advisable not to repeat some things. They offered, for example, to make a sequel to “The Nightingale the Robber,” but I categorically refused, because some things should be in a single copy. The same thing - this experiment, you can treat it differently, mostly people like it, because everyone who lived in this time knows this culture - this is one of business cards several generations. For myself, for the soul, it’s a little hooligan, but, you know, shadows create volume.

If you do it according to the same principle, there will be a mocking element; there was no goal to make fun of Dostoevsky. I quite clearly experienced “The Idiot”; by the way, I’m not sure that the series conveyed the plot in such detail. I have a very difficult relationship with Dostoevsky - I understand him perfectly, but for me he is gloomy, Dostoevsky brings depression to me, but he delights someone.

I think much the same as his characters think, this synchronization on an intellectual level makes the process of rereading unnecessary. But I re-read the novel carefully and transferred into the script the main, as it seemed to me, stories, including side stories: a story about the girl Maria, about a failed writer, about Professor Ivolgin. However, I would not repeat this.

Now I’m thinking that it’s been a long time, or maybe never, since we’ve made horror films. In principle, Russian cinema, like everything connected with us, with our great God-chosen nation, always does everything better than everyone else, it’s just lazy. After all, they allowed themselves in the melodramatic sector - “Love and Doves”, the military-historical sector - “ White sun deserts", in the romantic-historical - "Land of Sannikov", in the intellectual - .

That is, we have almost the entire segment - several genres are not closed. One of them is horror. We don't have a single "cutting" horror film! Not just for something to move electronically, scanned, but for it to touch you psychologically, as in best traditions I'm thinking about maybe writing such a script, but we'll see in the future.

To make it worse than the Soviet Viy...

And if you write in the horror genre, you need to achieve some kind of stunning effect. I think it’s not difficult, everything is decided according to some laws.

Speaking about the topic of childhood: what books did you read to your children?

So many. But in general, we listened once wise man, who was once the main child psychiatrist in Moscow, may he rest in heaven. He advised Oksanka and me to read to our children before bed. If you read to your children before bed, at least twenty minutes, but regularly, you will never lose contact with your child. You will be united by something more than intellect, will and love. This will be something internal: big picture, shared world.

And so Oksanka courageously took on this role, she reads the Holy Scripture a little, so as not to strain the children, because you cannot come to God by force. We have reread all of Kir Bulychev, reread Roger Zelazny, reread some of them, some of the Strugatskys, to make it easier. For older children - ... . Who wrote “American Gods” - a marvelous author? .

Previously, this was somehow divided into children's and adult reading. , for example, I won’t read it because I don’t have enough time for it, I’ve already read it. But now we have come to the phase when Vasya brings me books - they are still a little childish or youthful, but he is already close to what interests me.

And grown-up girls share and say: “Here, pay attention to such and such a novel,” Rutherford “New York,” let’s say. I noticed - I liked it, especially after... It is pop, in my opinion, for ladies and lovers of Goa, but here the same circumstance, narrative and design, but not burdened with entertainment. The author does not look the reader in the eye, does not try to please, but simply realizes himself.

Speaking of books, can you choose five books that have most influenced you as a person, as an artist and as a person?

Let's. Well, we don’t take it, of course, because this is a very individual moment, this is a priori for everyone - who has the Bible, who has the Bible, who has... This is not subject to statistics. And so, I can list. , Updike, Ken Kesey and Richard Bach "Jonathan Livingston Seagull".

Later came Satprem's "Journey of Consciousness", then I began to get acquainted with the early Latin American academic public: then came to him, he is not close to me, but I understood him. and - I understood how he took people. It happens that some people don’t like “One Hundred Years of Solitude” - this is surprising to me. This is a wonderful novel, but there are people who are erudite and have taste, but the novel doesn’t work for them, it’s at the level of subtle emotions. Have I already named five?

There are already even more - it will be necessary to expand the list to ten. On the topic of books and cinema. In the film “Priest-san” you touched on a rather interesting topic, in my opinion. This is the topic of the Russian Orthodox Church in Japan, and of Orthodoxy in Japan in general. At the same time, as far as I know, you had a series of programs that were dedicated to the saints: , . Did you have a desire to write something about Nikolai Kasatkin - Nikolai of Japan?

It happens that cinema is not able to convey the entire array of information, but it is a pity to lose what is hidden beyond the horizon. Nicholas of Japan acted in a very interesting period stories. This is the war of the shoguns against the young emperor. The young emperor buys firearms from the Dutch, which are not used by noble samurai. They march in four or three clans, I don’t remember, armies against the emperor - the emperor shoots them, destroys three of their armies, and they flee north to Osaka, deprived of property, nobility, and ideas of honor. There they come across a brilliant diplomat, theologian, and spiritually handsome. Nikolai was beautiful in appearance and behaved heroically, it was understandable: he went to study Japanese. For a long time they didn’t let him on the threshold of the school, and then they came out and said: “Why are you being so humiliated?”, and he said: “You know, I have to explain my faith to people. For me this is the most important thing, and therefore I must know the language well. I have to. I’ll sit here until you take it.” And they took it. They were touched by such a samurai approach to life, by the fact that a person is ready for anything.

He had chief critic, the main follower is a samurai from a very high-born branch, I don’t remember which clan, a kind of high-born prince in captivity. He didn’t like Nikolai Kasatkin, because he believed that Christianity would deprive them of their local religion (they are all Shintoists), the samurai chased him everywhere, except maybe beat him. But he didn’t dare to shoot, because Nikolai Kasatkin was still a very good shooter.

There is very a difficult situation, that time was so amazing - there were spy wars before the start of the First World War, then the First World War, when he could not serve, but at the same time he could not leave, then his flock was already created. This is such a lump. In fact, “Priest-san” was a gateway into a huge, beautiful garden of stories about Nikolai Kasatkin. To explain the phenomenon of the Japanese Orthodox. They have one of the strongest communities. Thirty thousand of them is a lot for Japan. But they are truly amazing people.

I am happy that Tagawa also found himself, because he was looking for himself as a Japanese. He has too amazing story: He lived all his life in America. His mother met his father in Jamaica. He was a paratrooper or a Navy SEAL - he served at the base. Which of them was Japanese, God knows - one was American. Doesn't matter. Tagawa appeared - they already lived in California - he is clearly Asian. And they laughed at him at school, which means that the legacy of the war was that they treated the Japanese with criticism (Japan fought on the side of Germany). He was lonely and hard. He took up karate to be closer to Japan, when it became fashionable and everyone heard it. He represented the American karate team, which traveled to Tokyo, and was awarded some kind of regalia there, that is, he was a real karateka. He really wanted to return home - to return home culturally, because he did not feel at home in America. He tried to do this through films, when he portrayed all sorts of yakuza. He loved the yakuza.

And that's the Yakuza too separate subculture. The fact that they are in films and television is not entirely true. This public institution, which designs all orphanages in Japan. And every homeless child in Japan is a child of the yakuza. It is not necessary that he is a bandit, they just took on such a spiritual obligation, a spiritual and moral obligation.

And surprisingly, having starred in a movie about an Orthodox priest, he then gets baptized. And he finds - we met with him later - his heart finds its homeland, it returned to Japan. He went to Japan, stayed there, Orthodox church, advised the cinema, Japanese people came out there - elderly Japanese, the bishop fired him up Christianly and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, a more than sixty-year-old man - already an adult - suddenly realized with relief that his childhood dream had come true, that he had become a real Japanese, and through Orthodoxy .

Yes, amazing story. Here in the context of this conversation: you may have looked - this topic is also raised there.

Yes, but I don't really like Scorsese. Italians are too impulsive to be objective. They constantly play on feelings more than feelings should occupy consciousness. They are impulsive - they would like to dance, sadomasochism, that’s what they like... There is no deep immersion.

Let's slowly move on to the last question. What are your creative plans for the near future, both in cinema and, accordingly, in writing?

If it works out, then I want to do “Priest-san”. Fortunately, there was a movie, but it was too bad for the material; I really wanted to tell more. I would like to tell you about Valentin Amfitheatrov - there is such a student saint - Moscow students, who knows, run to him in the Fifth Year before exams, as well as those who are in love (such a sentimental element); few people know about him, but he deserves attention. I would like to do something about a few more people: about Fyodor Uglov, who wrote “The Heart of a Surgeon”, wonderful (either he is alive, he is more than a hundred years old, or he just died) - greatest man simply, lumps. It seems to me that the time has come when we need to sing a song to real heroes. We are too carried away by the covers, and, in essence, from the inner atom, the basic to the insignificant, too frivolous. But there are such people - you need to look up to them, you need to admire them, especially since there is material.

I also have an idea for a novel. It will be called "The Third Rome". A novel about an Orthodox patriotic television series. A slightly different genre - not such steam punk as “Songs of the Canes Venatici constellation.” I'll see what's there.

Last question. What advice would you give to aspiring screenwriters: how to write and what to do with the written work, where to go?

I'll start with the second question. The written script, when it is submitted, needs to be posted on the Internet so that the electronic machine remembers when you posted it - this will be your little copyright insurance - this is important. In the age of high technology, it would be a sin to neglect this.

As for the literary activity, you have to read and write yourself, force yourself to write. This is a great temptation: you’ve already started, you’ve already thought of everything, and then you want to drink tea, then you need to go to your mother. The devil will do his best to tempt you and take your hand away from the paper or the keyboard. You have to force yourself to work stupidly, to exhaust yourself directly, like a fascist to loom over you, like a dark demon, and print, print, knowing that the first ten pages are always in the trash. But the more you type, the more somewhere inside you this typewriter develops, which one day makes a click and you’re already challenged - you’re already sitting down and all you need is a keyboard and the will to sit for two or three hours, however long you’ll be there print.

As for the search for inspiration, I don’t really believe in it - inspiration is a thing that can strike at any time, even when you’re taking a bath, by the window... True, Balzac said that a writer works even when he’s looking out the window, that’s all true, but the more I come across such venerable writers, the more I am convinced that they, just like me, went on and on, for no apparent reason it came to mind and I really want it to take shape. And the main thing is to force yourself phenomenologically: to sit you down at the table, force you to type, without being distracted by anything - neither positive nor negative - there will be a million reasons why you shouldn’t continue this. It’s all just experience to overcome these reasons, to stand up to yourself, to become humble in the face of the situation. In general, I think that the person is talented. Modern man It’s impossible not to be talented, because each of us has such a volume of information. We are all different. We are all beautiful in this difference, because that's how it is. And due, again, to the fact that we live in this time, each of us is a man of the Renaissance - we can afford to do two or three things completely and completely, but technology already allows it. Why not do this? Why not implement it? The only thing stopping us is laziness and excuses, inner cowardice. And every person is talented, there is simply a genius hidden in every person, I am sure. You just need to find, firstly, what: it doesn’t have to be literature, not even one, but two or three, I would say, there is definitely talent in every person with the possibility of infinity, until Leonardo da Vinci.

thanks for interesting conversation. Good luck in literary creativity, we will wait for the release of new films and books.

Thank you. Hallelujah!

Ivan, you are called the most controversial figure in Russian cinema. On the one hand, you are a Russian priest Orthodox Church. On the other hand, you act in films, TV series, and attend social events. And for many this doesn’t fit in at all, so you get a lot of criticism. How do you feel about her?

Honestly speaking, no way. These people don't know me, and therefore their opinion is not interesting to me. And then - as the Lord judges. I'm trying to live honestly. I'm an imperfect person and I don't always succeed. But I'm going in this direction. Therefore, when I learn about someone’s criticism, I think about it and draw a conclusion for myself. Perhaps the criticism is fair. And if it’s just in vain, then such a position causes me only pity.

- When you were young, you were fond of tattoos. Are they still on your body now?

Of course yes! I only cut out a naked woman taking off her panties in the Chersonesos area. Oksana told me: “I don’t mind beautiful woman I took off my panties in the ruins of Tauride Chersonesus. But why is she doing this? I answered: “We know why! Erotica..." And she says: “What if for what else?” And I thought about it, and then I burned it all out with a laser. I have a terrible scar! And everyone started asking me what kind of scar this was. I told them this whole story - and it’s even worse than a tattoo! In the end, I tattooed the scar with a sign of radiation danger, so now, when asked, I tell a story: they say, I eliminated the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. It seems like he accomplished a feat, but you can’t take anything with you as a souvenir of it - so I kissed the reactor.

- I know that the Bible does not approve of tattoos...

There is nothing in the Bible about tattoos! The Bible was written when nothing like this existed, or rather, what did exist was not called that and had a different meaning. Well, you can't write on a dead body, because that's how the Egyptians wrote. But there is nothing about tattoos in either the Old or New Testament - I know, I got them. Perhaps there is something in the Psalter, but again because among the Egyptians it was of a ritual nature.

Ivan, do you think of one's own free will are now temporarily suspended from ministry, that is, you are not conducting worship services. How long will this ban last?

I was hoping that it would end soon, but I need to buy a house, so I’ll still be filming for another five years. Otherwise, I would write books and confess my grandmothers in some church near the cemetery. I have great relationship with the parish world, and I am comfortable with it. But now I’m paying off the house, they unexpectedly let us buy it.

So you were allowed to buy it back? Can I tell you the backstory? The fact is that Ivan Okhlobystin has six children. For a long time they huddled in a two-room apartment...

It has four rooms, but it has 48 square meters. But we lived like this (shows thumb)!

-...And then you wrote an application for social housing, and you were offered a house...

Townhouse, in the area where Solzhenitsyn lived (in the Troitse-Lykovo district of Moscow)…

- But on the condition that as soon as youngest child turns eighteen...

We were supposed to be evicted.

You have many guises, you are an actor, director, screenwriter... But great popularity came to you after the role of Bykov in the TV series “Interns”. I know this project was interesting to you because “Interns” is a new word in Russian TV series. But what is this newness?

It wasn’t the novelty that interested me; it was the earnings that interested me! I thought I was going for twelve episodes, the script was non-pornographic, and Alexander Ilyin, with whom we had previously played in Tsar, took part - and he has very good taste. Then I met the guys, and I liked the whole team, then we analyzed the whole script together again... But the fact that it was new or not new did not matter.

This series is strange in that there is no off-screen clapping. Vyacheslav Dusmukhametov is a genius, he managed to create a new product, abandoned clapping, idiotic off-screen laughter, and convened a very good team of nine screenwriters. And then the producers walked around with white faces for three days, because the audience did not understand what kind of series this was - without hee-hee, without clapping... And then they stuck it in, and then there were six years of continuation.

- But still, you broke up with Doctor Bykov.

It was necessary to part with him, because all good things, like a novel, must have an ending. If the series had continued, everyone would have been tired, and willy-nilly the vulgarity would have started. We refused to continue filming, and Slava Dusmukhametov supported us: we had to end this story. We didn’t want to spoil it: we entered beautifully and left beautifully!

Your wife Oksana Arbuzova - she is also an actress, became famous for the very popular at one time wonderful film “Accident - the Cop’s Daughter”, in which she played main role. She was sixteen years old then, and she woke up just like an idol! She was a star, a fashion icon! And then she had films, but now we don’t see Oksana in new roles. But you are a director, you are a screenwriter. Why can't you cast her in your film, write a script for her?

First of all, why? And secondly, then she will not have time to take care of the children. Yes, she doesn’t even want to! They called her forty times, but she is not interested, it’s all mouse fuss for her. And she is interested in taking care of children, and she manages to do it, I don’t know where she gets so much strength, where she gets so much enthusiasm. Thank you, Lord, that I found her! I encourage this passion of hers. I tried to tempt her with jewelry - she doesn't like jewelry. She wears wedding ones, but no matter what other pieces of hardware I give her, she doesn’t like them, that’s all. I tried to molest them with fur coats - they didn’t like them! She will wear a quilted coat, and wear a fur coat only when walking with a stroller: she is shy. I tried all sorts of tours and restaurants... But by and large, between our gatherings at the dacha with barbecue and some restaurant, we will still choose the dacha - we feel more comfortable there.

- You and Oksana have been married for more than twenty years...

Twenty-two years!

- ...And I want to quote your wife: “Everything that happened before Ivan, that is, the life of Oksana Arbuzova, I remember poorly. My life was divided into before and after. Ivan Okhlobystin - starting point, beginning new era. Ad". So what does your marriage stand on? Tell us this secret!

We gave birth to children, and we have nowhere to go - that’s what our marriage is based on. And she is also very interesting to me in an emotional and sensual sense as a woman. She is interesting to me as a person, and I like that this personality always resonates with me, that I can test it out. And she always tells me the truth - this is also very important to me.

Ivan, your meeting with Oksana is compared to the story of the acquaintance of Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita - it is just as sudden and fateful. When you saw her, after a few seconds you said: “You will be mine!” What was it? Love at first sight?

It was very simple. I came to the restaurant hoping to meet beautiful girl. I was riding a motorcycle and, to be honest, I was very drunk. I arrived at the Mayak club, entered the restaurant - and there were all the girls with gentlemen, and only one with two. The gentlemen were so gloomy, with beards, and in general the whole situation was reminiscent of Kustodiev’s paintings: three full glasses of vodka stood in front of them, and the girl had a cape in XIX style century, knitted, floor-length. The girl herself is skinny, big-nosed, and her eyes are black, like a squirrel's. I, being so impudent, came up and said: “Mademoiselle, shouldn’t you and I take a romantic trip around Moscow at night?” She thought, drank the glass of vodka that was in front of her, put it down and said: “Why not? Just promise to take me home!” I say: “I swear!” - and took her to his home. That's all, and she never left the house again.

- And she was yours?

Yes. If you have the opportunity, don't miss the moment!

I tried to imagine what six children was like. I have two, and you have two sons and four daughters. Are you planning a seventh?

Well, we are drinkers, why not! (Laughs)

- So, it’s possible?

Quite, quite!

But I can hardly imagine how Oksana copes... Sometimes I can’t cope with two, but here there are six!

One - it’s very hard, two - it’s still hard, three - you’re already starting to cope easier, apparently, nature gives you additional strength, you and her. Four is already autonomy: self-washing, self-organization, everything is clear, who goes where. And Oksana is already in the iPhone with one hand, with the other hand on the pressure cooker, at the same time learning mathematics with Savva ( youngest son), sees with hindsight that Nyusha (Ioanna, second daughter) is going somewhere... As if she has six arms, like the goddess Kali.

- I know that when Oksana gets tired, then you pick her up and take her to rest.

As my dad used to say, “if you don’t walk a girl, then someone else walks her.” And it’s better if you walk a girl than a girl walks with you.

- And where is she at? last time walked with you?

We went to Lapland. In general, we love extreme tourism, like mountaineering, mountain National parks We love them very much - Scandinavian ones, for example. We also went to Spain... We travel to places where it is feasible for the whole family to go - this is exactly how we prefer to relax. And together, we went on romantic trips three times: to Paris, to Venice and now to Lapland.

I can't help but ask about your parents. I know it's very unusual story love: your mother was younger than father for 43 years! She was eighteen and he was over sixty when they met. How did their romance happen? Were they officially registered?

My mother was my father's secretary. And he was a handsome gentleman, he looked much younger than his age, he was charismatic, and it was impossible to say “no” if he offered something. He headed a large medical center for the rehabilitation of veterans of the Great Patriotic War. Order bearer, handsome, went through three wars, and she fell in love - a student, a village girl... It was impossible not to fall in love! Five years later they separated because dad began to be afraid that his mother would hit him in the throat with a razor. He told me: “You understand, I love your mother, it’s impossible not to love a woman like your mother, but I’m afraid that she will kill me.” And she really difficult character: Mom is a very emotional woman. Element, goddess Hera! She later got married again, she had a very decent husband, he was also a military man...

Ivan, our program has a section “ Inconvenient question" Choose one envelope, or three envelopes - as you wish!

How much do you need? Tell me, I'll choose everything. (Picks up one envelope and opens it) Should you read it?

- Yes, read it! If you pick three, that'll be great!

- (Reading) “Your mother was 18 years old when she gave birth to you. Her family and friends tried to dissuade her from giving birth. Why?". Nobody tried to dissuade me! Dad, first of all, didn’t ask anyone. The only thing that was done: my grandfather took a knife and went to Moscow to see my dad. He returned drunk and happy: dad persuaded him! He said: “No, but what? Good man, order bearer! (Opens the next envelope, reads the second question) “Is it true that before “Interns” your family was in big debt?” Yes, it was, I paid it off. (Opens the third envelope, reads the question) “You received a personalized gold watch from the hands of President Putin. Is it true that you still don’t understand why?” Firstly, I did not receive it from his hands - I received it on his behalf. And yes, I really didn’t understand. I gave this watch to my friend.

- Well, at least you have an idea why?

Well, Yugoslavia could have been - this is when we filmed Easter under American bombings... Some kind of humanitarian aid could have been during the Chechen campaigns... I don’t know.

Ivan, just recently you presented a new book called “Magnificus II”. This is already your seventh book. I must say that you write famously: in 2015 you published as many as three books, and this year this is the second. It seems to me that the process of writing a book should be long and painful - but you do it so quickly. How do you do this?

It's an illusion! Because those books are somewhere journalism, somewhere spiritual reflections (as far as they are possible for me, a sinner). “Magnificus” is a trilogy, and I did not write the second part, but only edited it. And I wrote the previous one - “Songs of the constellation Canes Venatici” - also quite quickly, because part of the work there had already been done.

From the outside it always seems that writing a book, writing a script can only be special person, such as you. But I was surprised to find on the Internet simple tips how to write a book. It turns out that anyone who wants to pretend to be a writer can write?

Certainly! We are God's creations, we can do a lot. We have a million different talents, and high technologies today allow us to realize ourselves in several forms. Previously, we had to choose: only a doctor, or only a singer, but now they are combined. Let's say, an expert technologist and an artist - you can combine it, why not!

There are several laws of literature, the simplest ones. An ideal text should look like this: it should contain all the sensations - tactile, auditory, visual and olfactory. An ideal text might sound like this, offhand: “He walked, plunging ankle-deep into black warm clay, towards a pine forest, where the tractor rumbled deafeningly and there was a distinct smell of burnt rubber in the air.” Ankle, ear, eye, scent - this is the perfect text. You can’t do this for the whole book, there is, say, a dialogue part, but as far as fundamental literature is concerned, this is the main principle: to create an atmosphere.