A great appearance, an outstanding intensity, an impressive mixture of truth and mystery... The Russian hero of "Burnt By The Sun" and "The Barber Of Siberia" is once more tremendous in "East- West", where he acts in French.
An exceptional actor. The interview with a remarkable man.

- What did you like in the screenplay of "East-West"?
- I heard about "East-West" a long time before reading the screenplay. It was in Prague, during the shooting of "The Barber Of Siberia". There, I met Regis Wargnier for the first time and he talked to me about the film he dreamt to make. More than an hour and a half he was telling me the adventures of this Russian doctor who, after World War II, decides to come back to his native land with his wife. I was seduced by his plot at once.

- What are the common points between you and Alexey?
- Like him, when I make a decision, I go the whole way to the very end. I understand his choice to come back to his native land, to renew his roots. Like him, I love Russia. The other common point is that sometimes I also can be tough and cruel towards the people I love.

- Could you sacrifice everything - like he did - for the sake of love?
- (Silence) The older I get, the safer I can answer "yes" to this question.

- Did you know about these dramatical events that these Russian refugees lived through?
- It's been 15 years since all these horrors of the Soviet period came to the surface. But this page of the history is quite unknown.

- Was it important to testify?
- Now we know so many things, we are so sick of them and disgusted by everything we learned, that, in my opinion, the main point is not to testify about all those dramas but rather to tell the story of human beings who fight to survive, to breathe, to love. I wanted to be the interpreter of this man whose whole life is a sacrifice…

- Did you feel pain of the political climate you were growing up in?
- Not at all. I had a happy childhood and adolescence. My father was an engineer, my mother was a doctor. Very early they let me go in for theatre. At that time, I was in love. I discovered life and was too busy experiencing those first intense emotions to be interested in politics. No, I was not unhappy and neither were the people around me… If we were born a little earlier, no doubt, we would have understood that this system was bad for us.

- Do you think an actor should have some political influence in the society?
- Yes. An actor should give people an opportunity to think, to look into their souls…

- Alexey sacrifices everything for the sake of his wife. Are you happy of such a good and strong character?
- The reason why I was especially happy in the end of the shooting was the fact that my acting in French was over! (Laughs) I couldn't bare it anymore! In general, actors always try to find the positive point of view about their character. Before imagining, for example, that Dmitry (from "Burnt By The Sun") was a scoundrel, I saw an unhappy man in him. He is not just somebody who wants to destroy, he is destroyed himself...

- You don't speak our language, nevertheless your French is perfect in "East- West"…
- I'm thankful to my parents who gave me an ear, which allows me to reproduce sounds accurately. Moreover, I play the piano without knowing the notes. Regis trusted me and was patient. He took a risk making me act in French. I believe he doesn't regret it... He is an obstinate man. He knows exactly what he wants and he achieves his aim progressively. Besides, he has such love for actors, love that doesn't come from this world, but from the hereafter.I saw him so trustful and it gave to me much strength.

- What sort of partner was Sandrine Bonnaire?
- I understand now how difficult it must have been for her to play with an actor who didn't speak French. She was very understanding, very attentive. Moreover, she is a remarkable, wonderful actress.

- Were you impressed by Catherine Deneuve?
- Certainly. But it's mainly Russians who are waiting for the film where Oleg Menchikov gives his cue to the great French star! So I proud to have been her partner even although it was in few scenes only.

- In his diary, Regis Wargnier says that after the shooting you went directly to your dressing room, communcated with the crew and your partner very little.
- It's because of the linguistic bareer, that restrained me. Actually I am reserved, but during the shootings in Russia, I like to fool around, to relax in the evenings. There I was a bit constrained.

- What did you expect from this profession when you began?
- In fact, I had no time to ask myself neither what I want nor what I was looking for, because everything happened so quickly. I studied 4 years, those years went in complete insouciance. When I graduated from the Drama School, I was lucky because such directors as Mikhalkov became interested in me. I played a role by a role without worrying about the next day, without making any plans of career… Such practice was the best school. I started so quickly in this profession that only now that I can ask myself some questions. I have more time to think.

- What changed the most in you?
- It may seem pretentious, but I believe I'm wiser now. I think about the fate. But if you want it to come true in full measure, you must follow your path not betraying yourself, being faithful to yourself, respecting yourself...

- Wargnier, like Mickhalkov, constantly talks about your mystery...
- I don't play a part: I live in it.I don't make any special effort to be obscure or elusive. At any rate, I don't try to protect myself…

- What did the success of "The Barber of Siberia" change in your life?
- Nothing at all, only maybe a little of jealousy from my colleagues. But it's not serious…

- You are a star in Russia. Do you dream of an international career?
- What I want first of all - is to act in good films. I am too old to dream of seeing my name written in big letters on the posters all around the world. I simply hope that my profession will help me to find myself and will reveal me who I really am.

* * * *

Then an interview with Sandrine Bonnaire follows. She talks about her partner with Thierry Klifa...

- How did you work with Oleg Menshikov who doesn't speak French?
- He is such a mysterious man! For example, we didn't know if he could pull through (about the French language). He didn't want to show us - even Regis Wargnier. Fortunately, from the first scenes in Bulgaria, I felt totally reassured. He had worked the whole text phonetically and he was absolutely fantastic. But - and it may be because of the language's bareer - he is not a kind of partner who asks you in the morning how you are doing, and he doesn't share a coffee between 2 shots with you.

- In the film, he is fascinating...
- Yes. On the screen too. He has such an aura, an incredible charisma. In the end we shared such moments when we laughed uncontrollably. I believe we worked well.