Ticket to Red Theater, or Death of Coffin-Digger

What do the head of a secret file cabinet, students who don’t shy away from a glass, a police lieutenant colonel, and a prisoner’s wife have in common? All these people turn out to be the heroes of one story, which began with two friends who decided to earn extra money. In pursuit of a long ruble, they come to the Volkovo cemetery in St. Petersburg. As it turned out, this detective story began in the distant past, when we were all part of the same System, sacredly looking after its own interests and not leaving alone any of those who once touched the terrible secret. The lazy students don’t even suspect that they are already on the verge of death...

Directed by Amurbek Gobashiyev, Ticket to Red Theater, or Death of Coffin-Digger leans on a strong ensemble — Oleg Basilashvili, Aleksandr Cherkashin, Aleksandr Chislov — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about crime titles of 1992.