12 (film)

Infobox_Film
name = 12


image_size =
caption =
director = Nikita Mikhalkov
producer = Nikita Mikhalkov
Leonid Vereschtchaguine
writer = Nikita Mikhalkov
Alexander Novototsky-Vlasov
Vladimir Moiseenko
starring = Sergei Makovetsky
Nikita Mikhalkov
Sergei Garmash
Valentin Gaft
Alexei Petrenko
Yuri Stoyanov
music = Eduard Artemyev
cinematography = Vladislav Opelyants
editing =
distributor = TriTe
released = September 7, 2007 (premiere at Venice)
September 20, 2007 (Russia)
runtime = 159 min.
country = Russia
language = Russian/Chechen
budget = $4,000,000
imdb_id = 0488478|

"12" is a 2007 film by Russian director and actor Nikita Mikhalkov. The film was presented at the Venice Film Festival, where Mikhalkov was awarded the Special Lion for Overall Work.cite web |url= http://www.labiennale.org/en/news/cinema/en/78166.html|title= Official Awards at the 64th Venice Film Festival|accessdate= 2007-12-12|publisher = www.labiennale.org] It is an adaptation of Reginald Rose'a play "12 Angry Men" and a remake of Sidney Lumet's "12 Angry Men" movie.

Plot

The jury decides whether a young Chechen boy is guilty in the murder of his stepfather, a Russian military officer. Initially it seems that the boy was the murderer. However, one of the jurors (Sergei Makovetsky) votes in favour of acquittal. Since the verdict must be rendered unanimously, the jurors review the case, and one by one come to the conclusion that the boy was framed. The murder was performed by criminals involved in construction business. The discussion is repeatedly interrupted by flashbacks from the boy's wartime childhood.

In the end the foreman (Mikhalkov himself) states that he was sure the boy did not commit the crime but he will not vote in favour of acquittal since the acquitted boy will be subsequently killed by the same criminals. In addition, the foreman reveals that he is a former intelligence agency officer. After a brief argument, the foreman agrees to join the majority. Later the foreman tells the boy that he will find the murderers.

Cast

*Sergei Makovetsky - "1st Juror"
*Nikita Mikhalkov - "2nd Juror"
*Sergei Garmash - "3rd Juror"
*Valentin Gaft - "4th Juror"
*Alexei Petrenko - "5th Juror"
*Yuri Stoyanov - "6th Juror"
*Sergei Gazarov - "7th Juror"
*Mikhail Efremov - "8th Juror"
*Alexei Gorbunov - "9th Juror"
*Sergei Artsybashev - "10th Juror"
*Viktor Verzhbitsky - "11th Juror"
*Roman Madyanov - "12th Juror"
*Alexander Adabashyan - "Bailiff"
*Apti Magamayev - "Chechen boy"

Reaction

The movie received mixed critical opinion in Russia and abroad. The Venice Film Festival Jury defined the movie as "confirmation of his [Mikhalkov's] mastery in exploring and revealing to us, with great humanity and emotion, the complexity of existence". Former Russian President Vladimir Putin together with the film crew, Chechnya's President Ramzan Kadyrov and Ingushetia's President Murat Zyazikov watched the film in Putin's residence in Novo-Ogarevo. After the screening Putin remarked, that the film “brought a tear to the eye”. [ [http://www.watchdog.cz/?show=000000-000015-000006-000023&lang=1 Mikhalkov's film "12" screened in Moscow and Chechnya] ]

On the other hand, many opposition journalists labeled the film as für-Putin, pointing that the main hero played by Mikhalkov is a secret service officer,cite web |url= http://www.ej.ru/?a=note&id=7473|title= "12" as an apology of Putin|accessdate= 2007-12-12|publisher = www.ej.ruru icon] while a juror, supposedly representing a Russian liberal (played by Sergei Artsybashev), resembles caricature. Another juror (a television producer played by Yuri Stoyanov), is seen by many as a caricature of Russian producer Dmitry Lesnevsky, who is known for collaboration with another Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev.

Awards

On September 8, 2007, the film received a special Golden Lion for the "consistent brilliance" of its work and was praised by many critics at the Venice Film Festival. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. [cite press release | title = 80th Academy Awards Nominations Announced | publisher = Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences | date = 2008-01-22 | url = http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2008/08.01.22.html | accessdate = 2008-01-22]

Factual errors

In the United States, where "Twelve Angry Men" was set, generally juries in criminal cases must render their verdict unanimously, whether "guilty" or "not guilty"; this film follows the same premise. However, in Russia the jury must return a "not guilty" verdict if at least six jurors out of twelve vote "not guilty". [ [http://www.legislationline.org/upload/legislations/9a/eb/3a4a5e98a67c25d4fe5eb5170513.htm Criminal Procedural Code of the Russian Federation (Article 343)] ]

Notes

Links

* [http://www.trite.ru TriTe - Mikhalkov Productions]
*imdb title|id=0488478|name=12
* [http://www.exile.ru/articles/detail.php?ARTICLE_ID=13709&IBLOCK_ID=35e The eXile- Revisiting 12: Mikhalkov's "Oscar-Worthy" Remake - By Yasha Levine]