Best Russian Movies to Learn Russian

Are you learning the Russian language? A daunting task. Isn’t it? If you enjoy watching films, there’s a fun way to improve your speaking and listening skills!

Whether you have just started out or are at an advanced level, this list of the 15 best movies to learn Russian can help you achieve Russian fluency.

One such advantage of all the language benefits is enjoying movies in the original tongue as made initially.

While Russian isn’t among the most sought-after foreign languages, it offers enough incentives and perks.

From the cultural aspect to jobs, there are infinite and compelling reasons to learn Russian.

Yes, there are some helpful language learning ways you can exploit to study Russian.

If you’re a die-hard foreign language learner like me, relaxing with a textbook and a dictionary is an excellent way to fall asleep quickly.

Now, what about movies?

You can spend endless hours watching movies while developing your language skills at night.

Why Learning Russian Through Movies Is Great

Movies are an affordable and effortless means of acquiring a new language.

You become immersed in what you are watching, and that engagement opens up your listening comprehension skills far more than you can imagine.

In return, you start building your thematic vocabulary (or developing a speaking appetite) while grabbing your attention and leaving you entertained.

Movies are an indispensable part of contemporary society in Russia.

To study the Russian language successfully, you must immerse yourself in the culture. The only natural way you can do that is by watching Russian movies.

Russian is a tricky and challenging language to learn.

And viewing movies, even with subtitles, will vastly enhance your listening and speaking skills and provide set phrases for natural conversations.

Furthermore, it gives the audience a visual context for phrases and words you don’t comprehend, making it simple to gain new vocabulary as you see.

15 Best Immersive & Enjoyable Movies to Learn Russian

Russian filmmaking is one of the leading movie industries across the globe.

While it does not have Hollywood’s popularity, it is a force to be reckoned with for creative, innovative, quality films.

So, grab your popcorn or candy, shut the world outside, and get your TV remote.

It is time to improve your Russian learning.

Below are 15 movies to help you learn Russian and beat all the language-learning hacks you relied upon.

1. Moscow Does not Believe In Tears (Москва слезам не верит) — 1980

If you want to know more about life during the Soviet Union era, watch this movie to learn Russian.

The talkie tells the story of three girlfriends who went through a lot from their teenage years to middle adulthood.

The friends finally found a promising career and found love in the Soviet capital—Moscow.

While this is not the typical action and engaging movie, it delivers that first-hand view and understanding of what life is like in communist Russia.

It discusses the immense pressure on young girls to find and marry the perfect man of their dreams. The vocabulary is outlandish.

2. The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! (Ирония судьбы, или С лёгким паром!) — 1976

This movie airs on Russian TV every New Year’s Eve. It tells the story of two people who unknowingly switch apartments after getting drunk one fateful night inside a Russian sauna bath.

The comedy combines romantic escapades with New Year/Christmas winter’s cheer and Brezhnev’s blandness.

Language learners can expect some seasonal and conversational vocabulary.

It is best for beginners and intermediate Russian learners interested in TORFL (Test of Russian as a Foreign Language).

3. Hipsters (Стиляги) — 2008

Regarded as one of the best Russian high school Musical films, Hipsters delivers catchy songs with snappy dialogue.

It tells the story of a group of individuals who loved the American culture in the 1950s during the Soviet era.

While you may lose some vocabulary in the beautiful songs, the film is an easy option for all levels of Russian learners to follow.

4. Leviathan (Левиафан) — (R) 2014

Leviathan is one of the most modern Russian movies, and it has gained immense popularity and won awards.

The film tells the story of an ongoing battle between a politician and a local man.

The cause of disagreement is the acquisition of a tiny piece of land.

The film undoubtedly depicts the corruption menace in Russia and the plight of the ordinary person facing the people in the highest positions of power.

If you’re an advanced learner, this is the movie to see. The film, though, includes a lot of political and legal jargon.

5. The Cranes Are Flying (Летят журавли) — 1957

If you want to have a feel of the Soviet-era lifestyle, this is the film to watch.

Set during WW2, it is one of the few Russian movies to have won the Cannes Film Festival.

The film tells the story of Boris and Veronica and the inglorious war that separated them.

While they drafted Boris into the army to fight alongside Russia, Veronica confronted many challenges caused by the war in Moscow.

The cinema is an outstanding option for beginners and intermediate-level language learners.

You will gain a lot of vocabulary, verb expressions, and military terminology, even without subtitles.

6. Brother (Брат) — 1997

Here is a great flick with a thrilling storyline about a young and energetic ex-conscript who came back home from the first Chechen war and ended up in a life of crime.

Brother is an action-packed thriller with widespread popularity in and out of Russia.

This crime film is better for advanced learners, thanks to its fast-paced dialogue, dialects, and slang.

7. Loveless (Нелюбовь) — (R) 2017

Loveless is an incredible drama that tells the story of two newly wedded and divorced parents who temporarily reunite when their 12-year-old son goes missing.

The movie depicts the present state of modern Russian society.

It has a much more powerful vocabulary and complex grammar for language enthusiasts.

You can watch the cinema using Russian or English subtitles, depending on your level of competence.

8. Ballad of a Soldier (Баллада о солдате) — 1959

If you love drama, this is one of the best to come out of Russia.

The film is about a soldier returning from the battlefield after a successful campaign in WWII. And only to fall in love while on the way.

The vocabulary in this movie is overwhelmingly easy, making it perfect for all levels of Russian language learners.

It also offers some helpful military terminology you can learn throughout the film.

9. Stalingrad (Сталинград) — (R) 2013

Stalingrad’s name should ring a bell if you’re a student of political history and the event that defined WWII. It is also one of my favorite Russian movies.

Stalingrad is a fabulous epic action movie that tells the story of what happened in Stalingrad.

It was in this city that the Russian army and civilians withstood the German invaders for many months, a deciding factor in the war.

The vocabulary is straightforward throughout the entire film.

No Russian language students should struggle to pick up words while viewing the movie.

10. Solaris (Солярис) — 1972

A 167-minute-long motion picture is a must-watch mystery if you love sci-fi.

This movie follows the emotional and turbulent story of the crew members of one space station and the crisis that challenges them.

The film is based on a science fiction novel written in 1961.

The dialogue in this film isn’t that fast. However, some words are highly tricky, making them suitable for intermediate and advanced learners only.

Beginners will find the lexicon and thesaurus slightly hard to understand.

11. Legend No. 17 (Легенда №17) — 2013

In the 1970s and 1980s, the Soviet Union team was history’s most exceptional international ice hockey team.

The best players of the time crossed spectacularly: each match and victory cost a lot of blood, sweat, and tears.

The Legend No. 17 (Легенда №17), directed by Nikolai Lebedev, is a 2013 Russian biographical sports film based on the well-known ice hockey player Valeri Kharlamov.

It has won several nominations and awards across the world.

While some plots are a bit cliché, the film remains charismatic to introduce audiences to an exciting sport.

The biopic tracks the life of a legendary player, Valeri Kharlamov, from his adolescent years to the peak of his career until his unfortunate demise.

As one of the most remarkable sportspeople of his time, the picture brings decade-old sports back to life in the most entertaining way.

12. The Postman’s White Nights (Белые ночи почтальона Алексея Тряпицына) — 2014

Russia is a nation that extends over a massive expanse of Northern Asia to Eastern Europe.

The irresistible beauty, mind-blowing landscape, natural splendor, and diversity give unforgettable impressions,

Because of the sheer size, many villages remain cut off from other parts of the country.

A postman is often the only way to connect with these people in remote areas. The movie The Postman’s White Nights narrates the story of one of the postmen, Aleksey Tryapitsyn.

The script tells stories based on real characters. Most of the actors, including Aleksey Tryapitsyn (Lyokha), are not professional actors but villagers.

The film makes a familiar story into an engaging drama.

It will surely bring you closer to the real-life characters. Plus, the vocabulary and expressions used in the movie are not complicated to understand.

13. Burnt by the Sun (Утомлённые солнцем) — (R) 1994

Nikita Mikhalkov recreated the 1930s era through this historical movie.

The film narrates an intelligent allegory about a retired Russian officer, Sergei Kotov. When Dimitri visits his calm place outside Moscow, he discovers he can’t escape Stalin’s purges.

The story centers upon a single day in Serguei Kotov’s life.

Despite its dark subject, this Russian cinema shows a terrifying picture of those times through an actual storyline.

It portrays each complex character in detail and with love by renowned director Nikita Mikhalkov.

Burnt by the Sun won the Oscar in 1994 for Best Film In Foreign Language and the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

14. Russian Ark (Русский ковчег) — 2002

Over the last century, the Russian movie industry has overwhelmed the international film scene by creating innovative masterpieces, and The Russian Ark is no exception.

It is a terrific movie that condenses three centuries of Russian history, without chronological order, into a single, uninterrupted, 90-minute take.

The film centered on St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum.

The movie, shot in one take, is an experimental historical drama by Alexander Sokurov. This one-of-a-kind flick will take you to Russia’s fascinating and vivid imagination.

Of course, this isn’t for everybody. But this is a must-watch Russian movie if you want to witness an incredible and unique experience.

It brings an essential supplement to your Russian classes regarding historiography and Slavic culture.

15. The Mirror (Зеркало) — 1975

Andrei Tarkovsky directed several impressive movies, and The Mirror (Zerkalo) is the most acclaimed one.

It’s a colorful mixture of childhood memories, historical events, and monochrome cinematic of Russia’s history.

The film is about a dying man in his forties who recalls his childhood, mother, war, and personal moments through flashbacks and historical footage.

The story mixes thoughts about Russian history and society.

This movie is an awesomely simple idea, yet hugely complicated. However, if you’re an intermediate-level learner, you can enjoy it with English subtitles.

This is one of the most incredible movies for learning Russian.

Final Thought on Learning Russian with Films

Learning the Russian language doesn’t have to be an arduous task.

You can become a professional in the language you love by watching movies.

With Russian films, the opportunity to get immersed in the language and its culture is endless.

Although there is an abundance of good Russian movies to learn Russian, the films, as mentioned above, can help you with your language studies. You better begin today.

If you have questions or suggestions, write in the comment section below.