Screen time: the premiere of "Red Silk" was a success in Beijing

The main cultural event of the week in China is the big premiere of the historical detective blockbuster "Red Silk", which was previously a huge success at the Russian box office. The screening took place on September 4 in Beijing and caused a stir among the locals who lined up for tickets. The gift for them was a meeting with the creators of the action and the main actors — Milos Bikovic and Zheng Hanyi. The film will be released in wide distribution across the country on September 6. How the premiere went, what the filmmakers, actors and audience talked about — in the Izvestia report.

"We've been waiting for this premiere!"

For visitors to the main cinema of China Film Group in Beijing, September 4 became, in every sense, the red day of the calendar. A carpet was laid out in the spacious lobby, the lighting turned on to match, and the walls were decorated with posters of Russian actors, against which every visitor to the premiere sought to take a picture as a souvenir. Here is a group of almost thirty Chinese people taking pictures on a smartphone against the background of images of Milos Bikovich and Gosha Kutsenko, and shouting: "Good!", instead of the usual: "Eggplant!" in their native language.

There are long queues for tickets in the neighborhood, and journalists are working. Such a stir was caused by the premiere of the Russian-Chinese detective action film "Red Silk", which had previously been successful at the domestic box office. The genuine interest of the locals was also due to the fact that the plot touches on the common history of our two states.

The action of the blockbuster takes us back to 1927. The Trans-Siberian express rushes across Russia with secret documents hidden in one of the compartments. They have a special significance for Russian-Chinese relations and therefore become the target of foreign spies and real thugs who pretend to be ordinary passengers. Young Red Army soldier Artyom Svetlov and former tsarist agent Nikolai Garin will have to figure out a common enemy and protect valuable cargo in bloody battles. In China, the film has received the status of a national film.

— Our countries shot this film together, so I followed it closely. We really hope that it will talk about the love between Russia and China," one of the locals shared his expectations with Izvestia before the show.

He came to the premiere in the company of a Russian girl, Anna, who is studying in China for an exchange.

— It's been a year since I've been to Russia, and now I have the opportunity to watch this movie. We've been waiting for this premiere! This is an unusual story, because, firstly, films are rarely made about that period of time, and secondly, because Russia and China are at the center of the plot," said Anna.

"I think the Chinese will like it"

The cast also aroused public interest. Milos Bikovich, Gleb Kalyuzhny, Gosha Kutsenko, Irina Alferova, Elena Podkaminskaya, Yaroslav Mogilnikov, as well as their Chinese colleagues are an international and vibrant ensemble. For the performer of the main female role, actress Zheng Hanyi, "Red Silk" became her film debut, and the Moscow premiere of the film in February 2025 was the first release. Now, another "first time" is the red carpet of the premiere show at home.

— I'm glad and I'm very worried right now! It's a big movie and a big project. And we all tried very hard, so I think the Chinese will like it too," she told Izvestia.

The team did more than just try. I had to overcome my fears. The actors performed most of the stunts on their own, without the help of stuntmen. For example, take after take is an epic cliff jump. There was also a language barrier to overcome.

— Chinese is difficult. It was much easier for me to learn Russian, because we have a lot of common words, the same roots. But here it was necessary to learn the language from scratch. I learned Chinese just like a baby learning to speak," Milos Bikovic, who also came to the premiere in China, told Izvestia. — I tried to say something in Chinese, and they were like, "What?" (laughs). It's like me and my son when he says "apple" instead of "apple," and I'm like, "What?" I often pestered my Chinese colleagues, asking them to help, listen, and correct me. They did it with great patience. The most important thing is that we are starting an exchange and good projects are emerging. Acting in such films is the dream of any actor.

"Red Silk" is not only an exciting intense action, but also an aesthetic pleasure. The authors have worked out the atmosphere of the era down to the smallest detail. There are stylish vintage images and decorations on the screen. Even the retro train carriages were created in the pavilion in full size. The geography of the project was not limited to indoor shooting. The team worked in Moscow, Baikal, Pskov and Leningrad regions. In China, it was shot at the world's largest studio, Hengdian World Studios.

— We were surprised by the quality of everything that is here. We shot at one of the largest studios in the world, Hengdian. And, of course, we were shocked at first, but we were pleasantly shocked by what is happening and how we were received by the Chinese side, and by the joint work," said Andrei Volgin, the film's director, who also came to present his work.

The first stage of joint filmmaking

Attention to the premiere of "Red Silk" is focused at the highest level. It is timed to coincide with Vladimir Putin's visit to China to attend the SCO summit and the parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. On the eve of the screening, the Russian president called the event the first milestone in joint film production with China.

— As far as I know, work on other joint films is already underway. This is indeed a very good way to work in the huge, very powerful and attractive Chinese market," the president said, answering a question from Izvestia.

The largest film corporation, China Film Group, has become the distributor of Red Silk in China. The film was created with the participation of NMG Film Distribution. Alina Kabayeva, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Media Group, came to support the prime Minister. She noted that the Red Silk is an example of the high level of Russian—Chinese partnership and warm relations between the two countries.

— It is important that the premiere of the film takes place in the year of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War and the victory of the Chinese people in the war against Japanese aggression. In our countries, they are especially sensitive to preserving historical memory and preventing the rewriting of history. In particular, it is this unity that allows us to create such unique joint projects as Red Silk," said Alina Kabayeva.

According to her, thanks to such films, it is possible to preserve the truth about historical events and pass it on to future generations.

— I would like to thank all the Chinese partners who participated in this project and wish the Chinese viewers a pleasant viewing. I am sure that the picture will find a response in the hearts of the audience, and you and I will see many more joint Russian-Chinese projects in the future," concluded Alina Kabayeva.

The film will be released in theaters all over China on September 6.