1612

Russia has been producing some quality films as of late, although they don't seem to get much recognition in the West. 1612 tells the story of the fall of the Rurik dynasty and the rise of the Romanov one, which ruled till 1917. The film was produced in cooperation with the federal government of Russia for the new national holiday, National Unity Day (Nov.4). A lot of critics of the current government in Moscow have been calling this movie propaganda. Maybe, but only in the way Braveheart, Sands of Iwo Jima, or Knights or the Teutonic Order might be considered propaganda.
The film starts with the assassination of Tsar Boris Gudunov. The only witness is a serf boy named Andrei. It picks up ten years later where he is purchased by a Spanish Mercenary named Alvaro Borja. To go into the details of the plot would consume too much time, just let it be said it involves another claimant to the throne of Russia, the siege of a city, and the final battle of the control of Moscow.
Definitely of interest to anyone fascinated by Russian medieval history.