The Earthquake

Землетрясение (2016)

Timing: 1:41 (101 min)

6.671/10
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7.157/10
131136

6.6/10
3100

All about film

Video 2

Photo 4

Actors and characters

Release date

2016-12-01

Country

Armenia, Russia

Production

Cinema Fund, Mars Media Entertainment, National Cinema Centre of Armenia

Genre

Drama

Budget

$200 000 000

Revenue

$3 910 254

Website

Director

Sarik Andreasyan

Actors

Konstantin Lavronenko, Mariya Mironova, Artyom Bystrov, Sabina Akhmedova, Arevik Martirosyan, Hrant Tokhatyan, Sebastien Sisak, Sos Janibekyan, Arsen Grigoryan, Michael Poghosian
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Arsen Danielyan

Producer

Sarik Andreasyan, Aram Movsesyan, Ruben Dishdishyan, Gevond Andreasyan, Galina Nakhimovskaya

Operator

Yury Korobeynikov

Composer

Artist

Audition

Editing

Georgy Isaakyan, Elena Denisevich, Olga Grinshpun
All team (14)

• The film is based on real events and tells the story of the earthquake in Armenia on December 7, 1988.
• Filming lasted 42 days and took place in Moscow and Gyumri. Scenes depicting the aftermath of the earthquake were filmed in Russia, while scenes of peaceful life before the tragedy were filmed in Armenia.
• 500 actors from Armenia and Russia participated in the casting.
• Residents of Gyumri (formerly Leninakan) participated as extras in the filming that took place in Armenia, most of whom experienced and remember the 1988 earthquake. 150 people took part in the mass scenes.
• The area of the set depicting the city destroyed after the earthquake is 10,000 square meters. The set recreated the streets and buildings of the real Leninakan with almost documentary precision. It was built in a month and a half on the territory of an abandoned Moscow factory. Heavy machinery was used in the construction – cranes, bulldozers, excavators. 8,000 tons of building materials were brought in: wood, polystyrene, concrete blocks, asphalt.
• 5 trucks of props were brought in to 'fill' the apartments: wall units, shelves, tables, chairs, carpets, chandeliers, dishes, toys, books.
• Work on the script lasted 4 years. It was based on documentary chronicles and stories told by witnesses of the earthquake: doctors and emergency services personnel; leaders of teams clearing rubble; survivors who were rescued from under the debris.
• 4 tons of cement powder were used on the Moscow shooting block, which was sprayed onto the set to create the necessary visual effects. 1500 respirators were purchased for the film crew.
• The film's producer, Ruben Dishdishyan, and one of the leading actors, Grant Tokhatyan, participated in rescue operations in Leninakan in December 1988.
• Each filming day concluded with a moment of silence – in memory of the victims of the earthquake.
• After the 1988 earthquake, not a single child remained in an orphanage – every Armenian family considered it their duty to adopt an orphan. The Andreasian family was in line to adopt four children.