Wikipedia

Rhino (film)

Rhino (Ukrainian: Носоріг, romanized: Nosorih) is a 2021 drama film written and directed by Oleg Sentsov, created as a co-production of Ukraine, Poland and Germany.[1][2]

Rhino
UkrainianНосоріг
Directed byOleg Sentsov
Screenplay byOleg Sentsov
Produced by
  • Denys Ivanov
  • Oleg Sentsov
  • Dariusz Jabłoński
  • Violetta Kamińska
  • Izabela Wójcik
  • Heino Deckert
  • Tina Börner
Starring
Production
companies
Distributed byWestEnd Films
Release date
  • September 9, 2021 (2021-09-09) (Venice)
Running time
101 minutes
Countries
  • Ukraine
  • Germany
  • Poland
LanguageUkrainian
Budget₴50.0 million (€1.6 million)

The world premiere of Rhino took place on September 9, 2021, at the 78th Venice Film Festival in the Orizzonti section.[3][2]

Plot

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A young man grows up in a rural Ukrainian village. Coming of age in the 1990s, he is a delinquent and petty thug. He is forced to join the Ukrainian mafia for protection after a smaller mafia-associated gang, led by a man called "Skull", threatens his family. Now that they are both under the same organization, Skull cannot touch him. He is nicknamed "Rhino" by his boss for his headstrong nature.

Rhino rapidly adjusts to criminal life, acting as hired muscle in a variety of tasks, such as protection rackets, abductions, arson, and targeted killings. He prospers, earning a steady wage, earns subordinates of his own, and marries his pregnant girlfriend in a lavish wedding ceremony.

Now in his thirties, Rhino and his gang are largely autonomous; the larger mafia organization lets them act without consequences as long as they provide a consistent cut of profits. Rhino becomes increasingly disillusioned as his gang becomes more violent and the relationship with his wife and child deteriorates.

A special prosecutor is sent from the capital to build a case against Rhino and other mafia members. He offers Rhino a plea deal in exchange for being an informant, but instead Rhino is paid by the organization to assault him and destroy the records of mafia members. After Rhino and his gang have a drunken orgy to celebrate the massive payday, his wife and child leave him, and are killed in an automobile accident. An increasingly paranoid and callous Rhino deteriorates, taking on even more violent jobs while falling into drug addiction as escapism.

While high and hallucinating, Rhino assaults members of Skull's gang. Deciding to break the truce between mafia-affiliated gangs, Skull abducts Rhino, and hammers nails through his feet, pinning him to the floor of a barn. After the torture, Rhino takes the chance to kill Skull, before ripping his feet from the ground and escaping.

After recovering in the hospital, Rhino learns that he has become a fugitive. The other members of his gang are dead or missing, and their stash has been emptied. He meets with one of his mafia contacts to secure cash and a pistol, which he uses to kill the rest of Skull's gang who are driving his stolen car. He smuggles himself to Germany, and works as a laborer. One of his missing gang members shows up and attempts to convince Rhino to return; suspicious, he lures him out to the forest. Discovering that his friend is actually part of a hit squad, Rhino kills and buries them, sparing his friend who promises to lie that the mission was successful.

Still tormented by his dead wife, Rhino returns to Ukraine, and recounts his life story to a mysterious man, the framing device of the film. The man reminds him of a suppressed memory; he had killed a child when he eliminated Skull's gang. Rhino, reflecting on the mysterious man's words, realizes he has nothing left in his life. Provoking a pair of thugs on the street, they stab him repeatedly as he names all the people who died because of his actions. Mortally wounded, he crawls to find a scattering of his family photos on the pavement, which he embraces as he dies.

Cast

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Serhii Filimonov Rhino
Yevhen Chernykov Man in the car
Yevhen Grygoriev Plus
Alina Zevakova Marina
Mariia Shtofa Rhino's sister
Iryna Mak Rhino's mother
Serhii Smiian Rhino's father
Dmytro Lozovskyi Rhino's brother
Ivan Tamashev Middle Rhino
Dmytro Dima Little Rhino
Oleksandr Rudynskyi Red
Yevhen Svitlychnyi Karas
Serhii Maydebura Meat
Vladyslav Derduha Scull
Georgiy Povolotskyi Tucha
Vitaliy Tyutenko Chicha
Volodymyr "Adolfych' Shamray Dad

Production

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Budget

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In July 2020, Ukraine's Council for State Support of Cinematography made a decision to support the Rhino film project – funding received from the Ukrainian State Film Agency was ₴25 million, which amounted to about 50% of the film's total budget of ₴50 million (€1.6 million).[4] Overall the film has received ₴46 million (€1.45 million) in funding from governmental film institutions which represents around 92% of the overall budget of ₴50 million (€1.6 million); speficifcally, the Ukrainian State Film Agency contributed 50% (₴25 million / €800,000),[4] the Council of Europe's Eurimages Fund contributed 17% (₴8.6 million / €270,000),[5][6][7][8] the Polish Film Institute contributed 15% (₴7.5 million / €232,600 / 1 million zł),[9][10][11][12] and the German film fund Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg contributed 10% (₴4.8 million / €150,000).[13]

Screenplay

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The story centers around a gangster Rhino, who's trying to survive Ukraine's "wild 90s". In August–September 2021 in his interviews for Deadline Hollywood and The Hollywood Reporter Sentsov confessed that he decided to make a movie about Ukraine's wild crime-infested 90s because he believes that to date "[Ukraine hasn't made any] movies about the “wild” 90s". Sensov also shared that the prototype for the film's main character, Rhino, was one of Sentsov's friends.[14][15]

Filming

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In 2012 film's director and writer Oleh Sentsov presented Rhino film project at the industry platform of the Sofia International Film Festival, where it received awards for Best Project and Best Pitching.[16][17][18] Additionally in 2012 Sentsov presented Rhino film project at the producer pitching meeting of Odesa International Film Festival where the project won a grant of ₴25 thousand.[19] However, work on the film was suspended in 2014 due to Sentsov's illegal arrest by Russian security services and his subsequent incarceration.[18] Work on the project only resumed after Oleh Sentsov was released by Russia in September 2019 as a part of Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange.[17]

Filming began in July 2020 and ended in December 2020 and took place in Kryvyi Rih, Lviv and Kyiv.[20][21]

The film is a co-production of Ukraine, Poland and Germany. The Ukrainian side of production is represented by producer Denys Ivanov's Arthouse Traffic and Oleh Sentsov's Cry Cinema. Polish partners are Apple Film Production,[22] German – Ma.ja.de. film company. The international distributor of the film is WestEnd Films.[23]

Marketing

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Promotion

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On September 6, 2021, industry publication cineuropa.org released the first official international film poster.[24] A day later on September 7, 2021, industry publication Deadline released the first official international film trailer.[25][26][27][28] Fostylen magazine called the trailer impressive.[29]

Release

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The world premiere of Rhino took place on September 9, 2021, at the 78th Venice Film Festival in the Orizzonti section; it was the closing film of the Orizzonti section.[30][3][2][31]

Reception

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Critical response

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Rhino has an approval rating of 78% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 9 reviews, and an average rating of 7/10.[32]

Awards and nominations

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References

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  1. ^ Rhino (movie official website). rhinomovie.org. 2021
  2. ^ a b c d Nosorih (Rhino). labiennale.org/en/. 2021
  3. ^ a b Orizzonti 2021. labiennale.org/en/. 2021
  4. ^ a b Фільм Сенцова отримає 25 мільйонів з бюджету — Ткаченко // ukrinform.ua. 09.07.2020
  5. ^ Oleg Sentsov, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Emily Atef among Eurimages funding recipients // screendaily.com/
  6. ^ Фільм «Носоріг» Олега Сенцова підтримано фондом EURIMAGES. arthousetraffic.com/ua/. 16 жовтня 2020
  7. ^ Oleg Sentsov, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Emily Atef among Eurimages funding recipients. screendaily.com. 16 жовтня 2020
  8. ^ Eurimages: Co-production funding in 2020. coe.int 2020
  9. ^ Проєкт фільму «Носоріг» Сенцова виграв фінансову підтримку від Польського кіноінституту. detector.media. 3 квітня 2020
  10. ^ Poland: Market analysis 2020. filmneweurope.com. 2020
  11. ^ PISF przyznał dotacje. Oleg Sencow otrzymał milion złotych na nowy film. onet.pl. 5 квітня 2020
  12. ^ SESJA 1/2020; PO Produkcja filmowa; Priorytet VI: Produkcja koprodukcji mniejszościowych. pisf.pl. 2020
  13. ^ Medienboard Förderzusagen Film April 2020 medienboard.de. 2020
  14. ^ Oleh Sentsov Talks Getting His Life Back After Release From Russian Prison & Making “Wild” 90s Ukraine Story ‘Rhino’ – Venice. deadline.com. August 27, 2021
  15. ^ Director Oleh Sentsov on New Film ‘Rhino’ and How His “Spirit Got Stronger” After Time in Prison. hollywoodreporter.com. 3 September 2021
  16. ^ "OLEG SENTSOV BACK AT SOFIA MEETINGS". Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  17. ^ a b First look at Oleg Sentsov’s ‘Rhino’ set for Bulgaria’s Sofia Meetings // screendaily.com/
  18. ^ a b Top 100 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2021: #68. Oleg Sentsov’s Rhinoceros // IONCINEMA.COM
  19. ^ UK Компанія UDP вручила премію за найкращий пітчинг переможцю конкурсу - проєкту "Носоріг". oiff.com.ua. 13 вересня 2012
  20. ^ "OLEG SENTSOV STARTS FILMING". Retrieved 2020-07-15.
  21. ^ Сенцов завершив зйомки фільму «Носоріг». ukrinform.ua. 05.12.2020
  22. ^ "Koprodukowany przez Apple Film Production NOSOROŻEC w reżyserii Olega Sencowa ze światową premierą na 78. Festiwalu Filmowym w Wenecji!". Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  23. ^ Venice Horizons Contender ‘Rhino’ Picked Up for Global Sales by WestEnd Films (EXCLUSIVE). variety.com. 26 липня 2021
  24. ^ EXCLUSIVE: Poster for Venice Orizzonti title Rhino. cineuropa.org/en/. 6 September 2021
  25. ^ ‘Rhino’ Debut Trailer: Oleh Sentsov Drama Set For Venice Premiere. Deadline Hollywood. 7 September 2021
  26. ^ З’явився трейлер нового фільму Сенцова «Носоріг». radiosvoboda.org. 7 September 2021 (in Ukrainian)
  27. ^ Вийшли міжнародні трейлер та постер фільму «Носоріг» Олега Сенцова. ukrinform.ua. 7 September 2021 (in Ukrainian)
  28. ^ Сенцов презентував трейлер свого нового фільму «Носоріг»: як залишитись людиною в «лихі» 90-ті (ВІДЕО). detector.media. 7 September 2021 (in Ukrainian)
  29. ^ Sentsov's film "Rhino" about the turbulent 90s in Ukraine to be shown in Venice. The first trailer is impressive. fostylen.com/en/. 08.09.2021
  30. ^ ‘Rhino’ Helmer Oleh Sentsov Reflects on Life After Prison. variety.com. Sep 2, 2021
  31. ^ Nosorih / Orizzonti. daily2021.venezianews.it/en/. 10 вересня 2021
  32. ^ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rhino_2021
  33. ^ BIAFF 2021 Closing Ceremony and Awards, BIAFF website (24 September 2021)
  34. ^ INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION, Warsaw Film Festival website (22 September 2021)
  35. ^ Rhino, Thessaloniki International Film Festival website
  36. ^ Rhino, CPH PIX website
  37. ^ (in Ukrainian) Oleg Sentsov's film "Rhino" won at the Stockholm Film Festival, Ukrayinska Pravda (18 November 2021)
  38. ^ 55 cinematic gems from across the world to be presented at World Panorama Section, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (18 November 2021)
  39. ^ Playtime Program, Les Arcs Film Festival website
  40. ^ Rhino, Ulsan International Film Festival website
  41. ^ Oleg Sentsov's new project - "RHINO" with a special screening at the upcoming 26th Sofia Film Festival, Sofia International Film Festival website (1 February 2022)
  42. ^ 12 Films you shouldn’t miss at the Golden Horse Fantastic Film Festival 2022, Asian Film Festivals (9 April 2022)
  43. ^ Rhino, International Istanbul Film Festival website
  44. ^ Rhino, D’A Film Festival website
  45. ^ Free access, special screenings and music for the Ukrainian community at #TIFF2022, Transilvania International Film Festival website (20 April 2022)
  46. ^ Werdykt Jury Konkursu Głównego 51. Lubuskiego Lata Filmowego – Łagów 2022, Lubuskie Lato Filmowe website (3 July 2022)
  47. ^ Films 2022, Aegean Film Festival website
  48. ^ MFF-2022 - main program, Motovun Film Festival website
  49. ^ Rhino, Atlàntida Mallorca Film Festival website
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