France Announces a Real Heroine

In addition to her success in Russia, Marina Aleksandrova enjoys popularity abroad
France opens the 2003 Christmas season with a demonstration of the Russian-French film by Laurent Jaoui, La fonte des neiges (Melting of Snows). The film was demonstrated for journalists in Paris, December 1. Russian actress Marina Aleksandrova performed the title role in the film. At the Saint-Tropez film festival in September, the Russian actress was declared the Opening of the Year.

The prize turned out to be a surprise for the actress, as the jury chose Marina out of 70 other candidates. The highly professional jury admired Marina's perfect work in the French-language film although she almost does not speak French. Before the nomination, Marina Aleksandrova has been already admitted Russia's best debutant for the film Severnoye Siyanie (Aurora Borealis) and the best debutant in Poland for her work in Jerzy Hoffman's Stara Basn (The Old Fairytale).
 
Marina is just 21, however, the film script writer Alexander Adabashyan (Russia) who knew her by the Russian film Azazel recommended the French film director to work with this Russian actress. Laurent Jaoui could see Marina acting not only in her films but also in the performance staged upon her graduation from the Shchukin Theatre School (Russia). The French film director came to Russia to see the performance. Laurent Jaoui liked the acting technique of the Russian actress and her looks which is why he gave her the leading role in his film.
 
Critics say the new feature film that lasts for 1.5 hour is a dramatic comedy. The heroine of the film, Russian girl Yelena comes to France together with her beloved, a Frenchman. They are going to have a baby, but the man suddenly dies. Thus, Yelena remains alone in the foreign country where she enjoys no rights and gives birth to the baby. 

The film is to be soon demonstrated by France's television France 3; after the French premiere, the film will appear on TV in several European countries. It is not clear yet if the film is to be demonstrated in Russia.
 
Marina Aleksandrova is famous for her participation in the following films. Andrey Malyukov's The Empire in Danger (Russia, 2000); Andrey Razenkov's Severnoye Siyanie (Aurora Borealis) (Russia, 2001); Alexander Adabashyan's Azazel (Russia, 2001); Vsevolod Plotkin's The Key Roles (Russia, 2002); Jerzy Hoffman's Stara Basn (The Old Fairytale) (Poland, 2002). 

Marina Aleksandrova in Azazel