Заступница

In the center of the plot is the Vatican list of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, the main Orthodox shrine of Kazan. The film describes four layers of Russian history: the liberation of Moscow by the militia of Minin and Pozharsky, the battle of Poltava, the Patriotic War of 1812 and the Great Patriotic War. During all these events, the Orthodox inhabitants of Tatarstan turned to their protector, the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, for help. It is believed that the icon was carried away in 1611 by the Kazan militia and later helped Minin and Pozharsky liberate Moscow from the Poles.

Directed by Alexey Barykin, Заступница leans on a strong ensemble — Dmitriy Dyuzhev, Irina Kupchenko, Nikolay Burlyaev — 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 documentary titles of 2022.