| Why Wouldn't We Send a Messenger? | |
| Native Name: | ru|Не послать ли нам… гонца? |
| Director: | Valeri Chikov |
| Music: | Konstantin Shevelyov |
| Cinematography: | Timur Zelma |
| Editing: | Galina Dyakonova |
| Country: | Russia |
| Language: | Russian |
Why Wouldn't We Send a Messenger? (ru|Не послать ли нам… гонца?) is a 1998 Russian road comedy-drama film directed by Valeri Chikov.[1] [2] [3] The film tells about a devastated farmer who travels to the capital to the president to find out the truth. On the way, he manages to save the businessman, help the loving soldier and the elderly.
Ivan Filimonovich Dergunov, a struggling farmer, faces financial ruin after taking a loan for his farm. Desperate and disillusioned, he lashes out against his misfortune by sinking his boiler in the river and threatens to blow up his own house to keep it from being seized by the bank. Suspecting his alcoholic neighbor Kolya of sabotaging his property, Ivan confronts him and ends up sentenced to 15 days of detention for assault. Upon release, Ivan decides to take his grievances directly to the president, embarking on a journey in his beat-up Zaporozhets. Along the way, Ivan encounters a series of vivid characters and surreal adventures that reflect the chaotic spirit of post-Soviet Russia in the 1990s.
As Ivan's journey unfolds, he picks up unlikely companions, including his eccentric friend Yakov and a runaway soldier named Zaur. Their road trip exposes them to both the harsh realities and the strange camaraderie of life during this turbulent period. From saving a businessman attacked by bandits to witnessing village disputes over marriage customs, Ivan’s path reveals a world filled with hardship, humor, and resilience. The climax sees him arrested for attempting to enter the Kremlin, only to later gain an invitation to meet the president. With Yakov and a young orphan he decides to adopt, Ivan returns home, hopeful for a fresh start and determined to rebuild his life.