Melnitsa Animation Studio (, "melnitsa" meaning "windmill") is one of the largest animation studios in Russia. Deutsche Welle called the studio the Walt Disney of Saint Petersburg. Alongside its animation projects, Melnitsa has an effort devoted to creating digital special effects for both animation projects and live-action films.
History The studio traces its roots to several animated projects in the late 1990s, including television commercials, the short film Die Hard by Konstantin Bronzit (Grand Prix of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, 1998), and the animated series "Global Bears Rescue" and "Technology", created for Poseidon Film Distributors Ltd.
In 1999, Melnitsa was formally established with backing from STV Film Company's Sergey Selyanov and led by Aleksandr Boyarsky. STV Film Company retains a 50% share of the studio. The newly formed studio's first project was Adventures in Oz (Приключения в Изумрудном Городе) for NTV-film (НТВ-кино), a four-part animation released in 2000.
In 2001, Melnitsa released its first 3D-animated project - the short film Good Morning (С добрым утром) by Denis Chernov. In 2002 Melnitsa released two short films by the famous animator and director Konstantin Bronzit: There Was an Old Lady for Scholastic Entertainment and the 3D-animated film The God.
In 2000, Melnitsa began work on the feature-length animated film Little Longnose (Карлик Нос) directed by Ilya Maksimov, based on the fairy tale of Wilhelm Hauff. The film premiered on March 20, 2003, reportedly becoming one of the first Russian animated feature film released to theatres in nearly 40 years.
On December 23, 2004, the feature film Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmey (Алёша Попович и Тугарин Змей) was released, directed by Konstantin Bronzit. The film was completed on a $4 million budget, and took in about $1.7 million at the box office. This marked the beginning of Melnitsa's "The Three Bogatyrs" trilogy, and two more films were planned over the next several years.
In January 2005, at the 10th Open Russian Festival of Animated Film in Suzdal, the new short film by Konstantin Bronzit premiered, called Cat and Fox (Кот и Лиса). Bronzit's film, based on a national Russian tale, was part of the huge government-sponsored project by Moscow-based Pilot studio called "Gora Samotsvetov" (Гора самоцветов). The project, when complete, will consist of 52 13-minute films based on fairy tales from all of Russia's nationalities.
On March 15, 2006, the second film in the "3 Bogatyrs" trilogy was released, called Dobrynya Nikitich and Zmey Gorynych (Добрыня Никитич и Змей Горыныч), directed by Ilya Maksimov. It came on the heels of the animated blockbuster Prince Vladimir, which was released on February 22, 2006.
Luntik, an animated series launched in 2006, gathered a total of over 2 billion views on YouTube.
The third film in the trilogy, Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber (Илья Муромец и Соловей Разбойник), was released on July 7, 2007, grossing $10 million on a $2 million budget and setting a record for Russia's domestic animation industry, later surpassed by the studio's Three Heroes on Distant Shores earning $26 million in 2012. The 2013 film Three Warriors On Far Shores again established a new record for Russian animation, grossing $31.5 million. The release of Krepost in 2015 led to some controversy in Poland, as it depicted a 17th-century battle between Russian and Polish armies.
The studio's 2007 short film Lavatory – Lovestory was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, followed by a nomination for We Can't Live Without Cosmos in the same category during the 88th Academy Awards in 2016.
Style The studio places its primary emphasis not on high-art animation but on engaging storytelling. According to professional assessments [ambiguous phrasing], the quality of Melnitsa's productions is considered average. However, Alexander Gerasimov, CEO of Master-Film, views this as a strength of the studio, since its productions are profitable. Anatoly Prokhorov, co-owner of the company “Petersburg,” also noted that Melnitsa's work features "less-than-perfect scripts, directing, and inconsistent animation quality," and that the creators "work with relatively simple technological tools"—yet their content resonates with audiences and is well received.
Filmography Short film Year Production2024 The Three Sisters2019 Boxballet 2019 He Can't Live Without Cosmos 2014 We Can't Live Without Cosmos 2007 The Little Vasilisa2007 Lavatory Lovestory 2003 The God
Full length
Year Title cartoon Director Author(s) script Production Designer Budget Box office 2003 Little Longnose Карлик Нос Ilya Maksimov Aleksandr Boyarsky Aleksandra Averianova $2,5 million $569 837 2004 Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmey Алёша Попович и Тугарин Змей Konstantin Bronzit Aleksandr BoyarskyMaksim SveshnikovIlya MaksimovKonstantin Bronzit Ol'ga Ovinnikova $4 million $1 730 000 2006 Dobrynya Nikitich and Zmey Gorynych Добрыня Никитич и Змей Горыныч Ilya Maksimov Aleksandr BoyarskyMaksim SveshnikovIlya Maksimov Ol'ga Ovinnikova $4,5 million $3 620 000 2007 Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber Илья Муромец и Соловей-Разбойник Vladimir Toropchin Aleksandr BoyarskyMaksim Sveshnikov Oleg Markelov $2 million $9 739 679 2008 The Tale of Soldier Fedot, The Daring Fellow:ru:Про Федота-стрельца, удалого молодца Lyudmila Steblyanko Lyudmila SteblyankoRoman Smorodin Anastasia Vasil'eva — $2 586 097 2010 How Not to Rescue a Princess Три богатыря и Шамаханская царица Sergey Glezin Aleksandr BoyarskyOl'ga Nikiforova Elena Lavrent'evaOleg Markelov $2,5 million $19 010 585 2011 Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf Иван Царевич и Серый Волк Vladimir Toropchin Aleksandr Boyarsky Rostislav Khait Leonid Barats Sergei Petreykov Marina Kudryavtseva $3 million $24 830 497 2012 Three Heroes on Distant Shores Три богатыря на дальних берегах Konstantin Feoktistov Aleksandr BoyarskyLidiya Savina $3,5 million $31 505 876 2013 Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf 2 :ru:Иван Царевич и Серый волк 2 Vladimir Toropchin Vladimir ToropchinAleksandr BoyarskySvetlana Sachenko Svetlana Degtyarёva — $20 962 9882015 Three heroes. Horse Course Три богатыря. Ход конём Konstantin Feoktistov Aleksandr BoyarskySvetlana Sachenko Svetlana Degtyarёva $3,5 million $19 390 136 The Fortress Крепость. Щитом и мечом Fyodor Dmitriev Aleksandr Boyarsky Oleg Markelov — $1 176 906 2016 Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf 3 :ru:Иван Царевич и Серый волк 3 Darina Schmidt Rostislav Khait Leonid Barats
Sergei Petreykov Svetlana Degtyarёva — $10 271 463 2017 The Three Heroes and the Sea King Три богатыря и морской царь Konstantin Feoktistov Aleksandr BoyarskySvetlana SachenkoAlena Tabunova (idea) Andrei Yakobchuk $4 $14 134 274 2017 Fantastic Journey to OZ Урфин Джюс и его деревянные солдаты Vladimir Toropchin Fyodor Dmitriev
Darina Schmidt Aleksandr BoyarskyDarina Schmidt Anatolii Sokolov — $3 068 073 2017 Three Heroes and the Princess of Egypt Три богатыря и принцесса Египта Konstantin Feoktistov Aleksandr BoyarskySvetlana Sachenko Andrei Yakobchuk $3.5 million $12.6 million2018The Three Heroes. The Heiress to the Throne :ru:Три богатыря и наследница престолаKonstantin BronzitMaksim SveshnikovVadim SveshnikovKonstantin BronzitYuliya Maslova Daria Ivanova$2.5 million—2018 Sadko Садко Maksim Volkov Vitaly Mukhametzyanov Alexander Arkhhipov Dmitry Novoselov Slava Se Aleksei Motavin 2019Fantastic Return to Oz Урфин Джюс возвращаетсяFyodor DmitrievAleksandr BoyarskyAleksei Korobkin 2019 Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf 4 :ru:Иван Царевич и Серый волк 4 Darina SchmidtKonstantin Feoktistov Rostislav KhaitLeonid BaratsSergei PetreykovDaria Ivanova 2020The Barkers: Mind the Cats! Барбоскины на дачеElena Galdobina Fyodor DmitrievAleksandr Boyarsky Aleksandra ShokhaOleg Markelov$2 million$951 0752020Horse Julius and the Big Races Конь Юлий и большие скачкиDarina SchmidtKonstantin FeoktistovMaksim SveshnikovVadim Sveshnikov Aleksandr BoyarskyAndrey Yakobchuk$2.4 million$4 875 2022021Three Heroes and Horse Julius on the throne:ru:Три Богатыря и Конь на тронеDarina SchmidtKonstantin FeoktistovAleksandr BoyarskiyAleksandra ShokhaOleg Kozyrev (in Participation)Daria Ivanova$2 310 646$7 056 4412022The Barkers Team:ru:Барбоскины TeamElena GabdolinaFyodor Dmitriev Elena GabdolinaFyodor Dmitriev Oleg Markelov $1 610 1932022 Ivan Tsarevich and The Gray Wolf 5:ru:Иван Царевич и Серый волк 5 Konstantin Feoktistov Aleksandr BoyarskiyAleksandra ShokhaIvan Filippov (in Participation) Daria Ivanova $7 296 6002023Three Heroes and the Navel of the Earth:ru:Три Богатыря и Пуп Земли Konstantin BiryukovKonstantin Feoktistov Aleksandr BoyarskiyAleksandra ShokhaAndrey Yakobchuk$2 500 000 $11 321 2172024Moonzy: Homecoming:ru:Лунтик. Возвращение домой Konstantin BronzitKonstantin BronzitDarina SchmidtDmitriy Vysotskiy Oleg Markelov 2024 Ivan Tsarevich and The Gray Wolf 6:ru:Иван Царевич и Серый волк 6Darina SchmidtKonstantin Feoktistov Aleksandr BoyarskiyAleksandra ShokhaAleksandr Arkhipov (in Participation)Daria Ivanova 2025Three Heroes and the Light is a Wedge:ru:Три Богатыря и Свет КлиномDarina SchmidtKonstantin Feoktistov (Animation Director)Aleksandr BoyarskiyAleksandra ShokhaAndrei Yakobchuk 2026 Luntik. The other side of the Moon:ru:Лунтик. Обратная сторона ЛуныDarina Schmidt Darina Schmidt Oleg Markelov 2026 Three Heroes and the Swan-GeeseТри Богатыря и Гуси-ЛебедиFyodor Dmitriev Aleksandr Boyarskiy
In Development Year Title cartoon Director Author(s) script Production Designer 2027 Ivan Tsarevich and The Grey Wolf 7Иван Царевич и Серый волк 7Konstantin Feoktistov Aleksandr BoyarskiyAleksandra Shokha Yulia MaslovaDaria Ivanova
Serial cartoons Year Title cartoon Directed by of the animated series The main authors of the script Production Designer Number of seasons Number of series1999—2000Adventures in the Emerald City Приключения в Изумрудном городеAleksandr Makarov (1-2) Ilya Maksimov (3) Denis Chernov (4)Evgeny Markov (1-2) Mikhail Bartenev (3-4) Andrei Usachyov (3-4)Yuriy Solovyov (1-2) Ilya Myshkin (3-4)1 season42006—present Luntik and his friends (Moonzy)Приключения Лунтика и его друзей (Лунтик) Darina Shmidt Elena Galdobina Darina ShmidtFyodor DmitrievElena GaldobinaMariya DomogatskayaAnna SosnoraAlexandr Mal'ginSvetlana SachenkoTatiana Gorbushina Marina Komarkevich (1–2 seasons)Tatiana Klein (2–6 seasons)Irina Fёdorova (5–6 seasons)Vita Tkachёva (7 seasons: series 2012)Ekaterina Maksimenko (from 7 season)105722011—presentThe Barkers (The Poochers) БарбоскиныElena Galdobina Ekaterina SalabayElena Galdobina Fyodor Dmitriev Konstantin Feoktistov Vadim Smolyak Anna SosnoraLyudmila Steblyanko (1-100) Alesya Barsukova (91-130) Marina Makarova (from 131) Aleksey Korobkin Eduard Yankovsky17 seasons2862018—presentLittle TiarasЦаревныKonstantin BronzitElena GaldobinaDarina Schmidt Darina SchmidtFyodor DmitrievAleksandr SinitsynAndrei Yakobchuk3782024-presentThree Heroes. Not a Day Without a Feat:ru:Три богатыря. Ни дня без подвига Aleksandra ShokhaYekaterina Salabay Sergey Sel'yanovAleksandr Boyarskiy 3 9
See also History of Russian animation List of animated feature films
References
External links
Official website of the "3 Bogatyrs" trilogy Interview with Konstantin Bronzit La monto da gemoj - some Gora samotsvetov (Gem Mountain) series with subtitles in Esperanto.