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The Tourist feature created quite a stir in the Central African Republic. Based on real events, the movie was shot in CAR. About 60 thousand spectators gathered at the local stadium. The screening was celebrated with dances and fireworks. Such interest in Russian cinema is not a coincidence.
Photo credit: africasacountry.com
Tourist is the code name of the lead character, the Russian police former employee Grisha Dmitriev. He is a “Russian instructor” who arrives in the Central African Republic to help the country’s legitimate government to resist rebel fighters. Known by the call sign “Tourist,” Dmitriev came to the African country to teach the basics of tactics to local military personnel.
The film is based on real events. Russian military instructors have been working in the country since 2018; and Tourist is one of the few Russian films shot in a hot pursuit in 2020 and released in 2021.Military experts called the movie “contribution to national film fund”.
The opening credits of the movie inform it was inspired by the 300 Russian military instructors serving in the resource-rich but impoverished country to support President Faustin-Archange Touadera’s regime, which Russia has openly backed since 2018.
The Russian TV Vesti program aired a story about Russian military instructors actions in Africa. It described how an anti-government rebellion broke out on the eve of the CAR presidential elections in Bangui, the capital of the country. Reaching an agreement with the UN Security Council, Russia sent 300 military instructors to the republic. As a result, Russians helped to defend locals against murderous rebels’ groups, and an attempted coup is caught up.
Apart of being based on real events, the movie is partially shot in sango, the CAP official language.
The Tourist screenshot
The leading actor Vladimir Petrov has admitted at the press conference that he was so much indulged in the story that he would get asleep at late night with the script in hand. Another star of the movie Sergei Vorobyev, told at the press conference, “It was a great honor to be in such a movie showing Russian heroes in a tough place. What an experience!“
Locals took part in the crowd scenes and episodic roles. The movie creators have managed to convey the authentic vibe. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the Tourist premier became a real event in the CAR. On the first day, about 20 thousand people gathered at the local stadium, and about 60 thousand on the second day. The reaction of locals, according to the film producers, was just crazy. Everyone applauded wildly, and festive fireworks have started right after the screening.
According to the Roskino head Eugeny Markov, the particular interest in Russian cinema industry has increased by 20-30% in CAP. Another sign of Russia’s popularity, during a recent parade in 3000 Bangui residents were holding Russian flags.
According to the film producer Genrich Can, the Tourist movie is about mutual aid between the two countries – Russia and Central African Republic.
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