The Liaison — A dedication to Sergei Bodrov Jr. by director and playwright Savva Saveliev — a theatrical reading of select fragments from the screenplay The Liaison, part of the project Unfilmed Scripts.
Only a few reels remain from the second film by emerging director Sergei Bodrov Jr. The project was never realized — tragically, Bodrov lost his life in the Karmadon Gorge in September 2002, along with his filming crew.
The Liaison is described by Bodrov himself as "a philosophical-mystical parable about the lives of two friends." The screenplay features a non-linear narrative, with multiple parallel storylines and the inclusion of pseudo-documentary footage. In this dark urban fairy tale, populated by bandits, shamans, and a clairvoyant boy, Bodrov was cast as Lesha — a garbage collector hiding a secret: he is, in fact, a secret agent.
Savva Saveliev comments:
"I feel that, since Bodrov Jr., Russian cinema has not produced a true hero. That’s why he and his onscreen characters — most notably Danila Bagrov — still evoke such deep admiration. Bodrov’s honesty, simplicity, and talent shine through in his screenplay The Liaison. I am convinced that if the film had been completed, it would have stood among the defining works of the late 20th century, alongside Pulp Fiction, Raging Bull, and, of course, Brother. For me, this screenplay is about how a person can overcome anything. It’s also about an obsession with life — and that, perhaps, is its central theme."