T-34 (film)

T-34 (Т-34) is a 2019 Russian war film directed by Aleksey Sidorov. The title references the T-34, a World War II-era Soviet medium tank used during the invasion of the Soviet Union. The film narrates the life of Nikolay Ivkushin, a tank commander who gets captured by the Nazis. Three years later, he begins to plan his ultimate escape, alongside his newly-recruited tank crew. It stars Alexander Petrov as Nikolay Ivushkin, with Viktor Dobronravov, Irina Starshenbaum, Anton Bogdanov, Yuriy Borisov, Semyon Treskunov and Artyom Bystrov.

T-34 was released in Russia by Central Partnership on January 1, 2019 and for hire converted into IMAX format. The film received mixed to positive reviews, with critics praising the production quality and visual effects. It was successful commercially, grossing 2.2 billion rubles (about $32 million), against a production budget of 600 million rubles, after a week in cinemas. It is in second place on Russia's biggest blockbusters list with over 8.5 million viewers and 2 billion rubles, and is currently the second-highest grossing Russian film of all time, behind Going Vertical

Plot
In 1941, junior lieutenant Nikolay Ivushkin (Alexander Petrov) is driving with a subordinate when they encounter a German Panzer III Tank. Through some courageous driving they manage to escape unscathed and get back to their men. At the village Nikolay is promoted to the rank tank commander of a damaged T-34 tank. His men and him attempt to delay a major German advance. They withstand withering fire and the T-34 takes many hits but manages to take out a number of German tanks. Finally at the end of the battle with most of the Russian defenders killed, and most of his tank crew dead, Nikolay and driver Stepan Vasilyonok are captured.

3 years later, Standartenführer Klaus Jäger (Vinzenz Kiefer) (who was a tank commander Ivkushin fought with back in 1941) is sent to a concentration camp by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler to recruit a tank crew that will be used for target practice for the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. Upon recognising Nikolay (who was sent to the camp), he gets his interpreter Anya (Irina Starshenbaum), to convince Nikolay to take up Jäger's proposal. Jäger wants to use Nikolay as a pawn in war games that his own tank crews can use for target practise. Nikolay accepts the challenge but with a cunning plan of escape in mind.

Nikolay selects from the camp 3 other men, Vasilyonok, loader Serafim Ionov and gunner Demyan Volchok, whom he will train to crew the damaged T-34-85. The men resist initially, viewing Nikolay as a traitor and collaborator. As they present the tank the Germans request the Russians to clear out the dead bodies of its former crew. As they remove each body from the tank, Nikolay hides shells in with the bodies. The Russians bury the crew outside of the camp on the tank range. During this time, Nikolay develops a bond with Anya. After a period of days the crew are allowed into the tank ground where Nikolay heads directly for the burial ground and retrieves the 6 shells.

Back at the camp as Jäger is giving a presentation to members of the high command and extolling the virtues of what his exercise will provide. Anya in the meantime, sneaks into his office and stole the maps for escaping to Czech Republic. She then leaves the camp.

Meanwhile the exercise commences. The Germans watch as one of their tanks advances on the "unarmed" T-34-85. The Russian fire and destroy the German tank and quickly fire their second shell at the German observation post before escaping from the camp damaging a number of vehicles. The Russians rejoice as the Germans plot how to capture and destroy the T-34-85. Anya meanwhile is collected outside of the camp by Nikolay and his men. They realise they are trapped deep in German territory and plot a course to bring them back to the German lines.

Jäger meanwhile gets some planes to find the missing T-34-85 and locates them. He then takes command of 4 German Panther tanks and sets a trap for Nikolay in a small town. Nikolay and his crew burn their clothes and resupply themselves with fresh clothing and food and enjoy their night of freedom. Nikolay later sends her on her way, knowing that the Germans will hunt them down and most likely kill them.

In the town, T-34-85 encounters Jäger and his squadron of 3 tanks. Nikolay, through cunning and guile disposes of one tank before sending Volchok, armed with a grenade out to take over one of the other Panzers. Nikolay crashes through walls before colliding with one of the tanks. The Russians manually turn the damaged turret and manage to get a shot off just as the Panther is about to fire and destroy the tank. Unfortunately Jäger has arrived with his tank and he lines up his Panther to destroy Nikolay. However, Volchok manages to get a shell out of the Panther he damaged. Jäger's tank is also damaged but he quickly disposes of the captured Panther, badly wounding Volchok in the process.

Both Jäger and Nikolay emerge from their tanks and Jäger throws down his glove, inviting Nikolay to a duel. Both tanks move to outside of the town and face off over a narrow bridge leading to an aqueduct. Jäger lines his shot up at the T-34-85's tracks, while Nikolay aims for the weakest spot on the Panther. Both shots hit their intended targets and two tanks crashed into each other. The Panther is left hanging dangerously over the aqueduct and Jäger emerges just as Nikolay clambers out of his tank. Jäger shouts for Nikolay to shoot him but Nikolay offers his foe mercy. He offers Jäger his hand and the German seems to accept it, but instead shakes his hand in respect before releasing it. Seconds later, he plunges to his death with his tank into the river, as Nikolay watches. The crew decide to ditch the damaged tank, not wanting the Germans to re-use it.

The crew reunites with Anya, whom Nikolay instructed to meet at the field. Closing titles reveal that all of 4 crew members survived the war and have started new lives for themselves.

Cast
• Alexander Petrov as Nikolay Ivushkin, junior lieutenant

• Vinzenz Kiefer as SS-Standartenführer Klaus Jäger

• Viktor Dobronravov as Stepan Vasilyonok

• Irina Starshenbaum as Anya Yartseva

• Yuriy Borisov as Serafim Ionov, tankman-artillery

• Anton Bogdanov as Demyan Volchok, tankman-machine gunner

• Pyotr Skvortsov as Lykov

• Semyon Treskunov as Vasiliy Teterya

• Guram Bablishvili as Gabuliya, tarshina, commander of the infantry

• Danila Rassomakhin as Vasechkin

• Artyom Bystrov as Korin, captain

• Joshua Grothe as Thielicke

• Wolfgang Cerny as Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler

• Mike Davies as Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppe Heinz Guderian

• Igor Khripunov as Lapikov

• Yaroslav Shtefanov as Makeev, machine-gunner

• Anton Shurtsov as Chief of Staff

• Aleksandra Torgushnikova as Vasilyonok's Wife

• Danil Tyabin as Radio Operator

• Christoph Urban as Schlozer

• Aleksey Ushakov as Telephonist

• Vladimir Vinogradov as Refueller

• Polina Volkova as Daughter of the Mistress

• Alexandr Zaporozhets as Petya

Filming
The shooting process of T-34 started on 23 February and continued for 61 days. Some scenes were shot in Moscow, Kaluga and Moscow regions, others in the Czech Republic, Prague, Loket (Sokolov District), Rudolfinum and Terezin. For the picture, more than 25 scale scenery was built, among them a Russian village and a prisoner of war camp. Five military-historical consultants took part in the making of the film.

Pre-production
In the film, several real T-34 tanks were destroyed during the war and remade and updated for the film. The film also showed several Nazi and Soviet cars, such as SD.KFZ. 251, simply "Zimmerit" and tank "Panther".

Production designer Konstantin Pagutin spent a whole month building an entire village in a field near the village of Starlkowka, Kluj County, although the houses were destroyed at the beginning of the film, each one was designed in its own particular style, including hand-picked decorations and props.

Release
The film was scheduled to be released on December 27, 2018 in cinemas, but instead the picture was released on January 1, 2019, five days later than the planned date, distributors such as the Central Partnership and for rental converted to IMAX format.

Marketing
T-34 premiered at Comic-Con Russia 2018, the most attended Russian festival of pop culture, which took place in Moscow from 4 to 7 in October and once again beat attendance records, was held by the Central Partnership company.

Box office
On the first day of rental, the Russian box office amounted to 111,335,336 rubles.