Firebird (I) (2021)

Tom Prior: Sergey Serebrennikov

Photos 

Quotes 

• Sergey Serebrennikov : [Reading to drama class]  "Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love."

  [from Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov] 

• Sergey Serebrennikov : I'm afraid of this dream. Of waking up. Of losing you.

  Roman Matvejev : I'm here now.

  [pause] 

  Roman Matvejev : What is it?

  Sergey Serebrennikov : You remember my best friend, Dima? On his 13th birthday... my mother made him an apple pie. He lived by the school. I wanted him to have it while it was still warm. So I ran all the way. When I arrived... I heard shouting from inside, and so I went around to the window. My letters were scattered all over the floor. His father... had him pinned to the table... beating him across the back... yelling, "No son of mine will be a fucking faggot." I'll never forget his look... of disgust. And then Dima looked up... and saw me. And I ran away. I ran away. He didn't come to school the next day. There's a lake in the forest near the village. They found his body there three days later. I've never told this to anyone.

• Roman Matvejev : Who'd have thought it? Actors and pilots getting along so well.

  Sergey Serebrennikov : I can't imagine it any other way.

• Sergey Serebrennikov : [Joke told by Sergey]  A farm worker greets Josef Stalin at his potato farm. "Comrade Stalin, we have so many potatoes that, piled one on top of the other they would reach all the way to God." "But God does not exist," replies Stalin. "Exactly," says the farmer. "Neither do the potatoes."

• Roman Matvejev : [On receiving letter that Louisa is coming]  What are you waiting for? Sergey, please - go and get the rest of your stuff.

  Roman Matvejev : Roman, she can't come here.

  Roman Matvejev : I can't tell her to go back.

  Sergey Serebrennikov : Then take her to a hotel.

  Roman Matvejev : She's my wife. You're an actor. Act... like you're just visiting.

  Sergey Serebrennikov : I have to pretend every fucking second of the day I walk out the door. I will not do it in our home. Just tell her it's not working.

  Roman Matvejev : And then what? What then? You'll move in with me at the base?