Dear friends,

To mark the 135th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian writer and playwright Mikhail Bulgakov, the Russian House Cinema Club in Brussels presents the feature film

“Heart of a Dog”

Director: Vladimir Bortko

Starring: Yevgeny Yevstigneyev, Vladimir Tolokonnikov

1988 * 131 min

English subtitles

12+

Moscow, 1924. Professor Preobrazhensky conducts a risky scientific experiment and makes an incredible discovery: after a pituitary gland transplant, his test dog Sharik begins to transform into a human being. News of the sensational experiment quickly spreads throughout the capital, bringing the scientist a wave of fame and recognition. But triumph soon gives way to anxiety. Sharik, who becomes a citizen named Sharikov, turns out to be nothing like the “new man” one might dream of creating: his behaviour, habits and character cause an increasing number of problems and raise serious questions.

Mikhail Bulgakov (1891–1940) was an outstanding Russian writer and playwright of the 20th century whose work occupies a special place in Russian literature. Born in Kyiv in 1891, he received a medical education before devoting himself entirely to literature. His books have been adapted for the screen many times and translated into numerous languages, while theatrical productions based on his plays continue to be staged around the world. Bulgakov’s work continues to attract readers with its distinctive atmosphere, subtle humour and satire, and, above all, its timeless questions about good and evil, love and betrayal, and human freedom and responsibility.