20 Must-See Russian Sci-Fi Movies That Will Blow Your Mind

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Russian cinematography is making big progress, and it is mostly seen through their Sci-Fi movies, which, even though not so good in acting as the US, have amazing visual effects, and good stories. Also, throughout history, there were some amazing movies as well, and we will sort them all out in this article.

For this reason, we chose to create an article highlighting exceptional Russian Science Fiction films. Rest assured, these movies will not let you down. Continue scrolling to uncover 20 hidden gems in the Sci-Fi genre.

We’ll list the top Russian Science Fiction films in their order of release and refrain from making direct comparisons between them as we believe each one is worthy of viewing. For those interested in discovering the most popular Russian Sci-Fi movies, continue reading!

1. Amphibian Man (1962)

Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

Directors: Vladimir Chebotaryov, Gennadiy Kazanskiy

Writers: Aleksandr Belyaev (novel), Akiba Golburt

Stars: Vladimir Korenev, Anastasiya Vertinskaya, Mikhail Kozakov

Overview:

Residents of a coastal town are alarmed by rumors about an unidentified sea creature lurking in the ocean. Despite its mystery, it’s actually the son of Dr. Salvator. After undergoing surgery by his father, young Ichtiandr now has the ability to live submerged. While this offers unique advantages, it also causes numerous complications.

Best Russian Sci-Fi Movies from the ’70s

2. Solaris (1972)

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Directors: Andrei Tarkovsky

Authors: Stanisław Lem (novel, also known as Stanisław Lem), Fridrikh Gorenshteyn (screenplay, also known as F. Gorenshteyn)

Stars: Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Jüri Järvet

Psychologist Christopher Kelvin (portrayed by D. Banionis) is dispatched to an orbiting space station surrounding the far-off planet Solaris, with the objective of understanding why the team there had become mentally unstable.

3. Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future (1973)

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Directors: Leonid Gaidai

Writers: Mikhail A. Bulgakov (play) (as Mikhail Bulgakov), Vladlen Bakhnov (as V. Bakhnov)

Stars: Yuriy Yakovlev, Leonid Kuravlyov, Aleksandr Demyanenko

Unexpected Resemblance: A 20th Century Soviet Building Manager Discovers His Striking Likeness to Ivan IV the Terrible

In an unexpected twist, a regular building manager from the 20th century finds out he looks just like Ivan IV the Terrible, the Tsar of Russia in the 16th century. This revelation comes about when his neighbor invents a time machine.

4. Stalker (1979)

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Directors: Leonid Gaidai

Writers: Mikhail A. Bulgakov (play) (as Mikhail Bulgakov), Vladlen Bakhnov (as V. Bakhnov)

Stars: Yuriy Yakovlev, Leonid Kuravlyov, Aleksandr Demyanenko

Unexpected Resemblance

Storyline: A typical Soviet apartment building administrator, dwelling in the 20th century, bears an uncanny resemblance to Ivan IV, also known as Ivan the Terrible, the Tsar of All Rus’ (1530 – 1584). Unbeknownst to him, his neighbor invents a time machine.

5. Kin-dza-dza! (1986)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi

Directors: Georgiy Daneliya

Writers: Georgiy Daneliya, Revaz Gabriadze

Stars: Stanislav Lyubshin, Evgeniy Leonov, Yuriy Yakovlev

Overview: Two Russians Mistakenly Activate an Enigmatic Gadget, Transporting Themselves to the Telepathic Planet Pluke, Where They Encounter Unusual Social Customs

Inadvertently activating a puzzling artifact, two Russians find themselves on telepathic planet Pluke, experiencing bizarre social behaviors.

6. Dead Man’s Letters (1986)

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi

Directors: Konstantin Lopushanskiy

Writers: Konstantin Lopushanskiy, Vyacheslav Rybakov

Stars: Rolan Bykov, Iosif Ryklin, Viktor Mikhaylov

Scene Post-Nuclear Catastrophe: A World Shrouded in Pale Light

Description: Ruins bathed in pale light paint a grim picture of annihilation. Beneath the chill of nuclear winter, remnants of humanity eke out an existence in damp underground shelters. Yet, even amidst this desolation, the human spirit persists, finding glimmers of hope for a brighter tomorrow. The fledgling generation embarks on a journey to rebuild life anew.

7. Mirror for a Hero (1987)

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Directors: Vladimir Khotinenko, Violetta Sedova (co-director)

Writers: Nadezhda Kozhushanaya (screenplay), Svyatoslav Rybas (novel)

Stars: Sergey Koltakov, Ivan Bortnik, Boris Galkin

As a passionate cinephile, I’d rephrase it like this: In my favorite flick, two men – a psychologist-linguist named Sergey Pshenichny and an ex-mining engineer called Andrew Nemchinov – are strolling down their hometown’s streets. On an unfortunate encounter with a time-travel cable, they inadvertently leap through time, landing themselves in the year 1949.

For multiple months in the past, their activities were equivalent to a single day, specifically May 8th (a Sunday). This was the day with increased coal production.

In the morning, a coal mine accident occurred at the coalface after an hour. At 10 a.m., a wire arrived from the Ministry regarding a reunion for Stalin’s anniversary. After work, there was a meeting about the theft of the pay desk and the death of policeman Ryabenko. In the evening, volunteer Sunday work followed. And every morning, it continued like that, an endless loop. This situation was portrayed in philosophical fiction, accompanied by the music of the band Nautilus Pompillius.

8. Zerograd (1988)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Directors: Karen Shakhnazarov

Writers: Aleksandr Borodyanskiy, Karen Shakhnazarov

Stars: Leonid Filatov, Oleg Basilashvili, Vladimir Menshov

Scenario:

A factory production line manager from Moscow is dispatched to a quaint rural town to clarify the revised specifications for a mechanical component required by the distributor. However, this seemingly ordinary assignment takes an unusual turn as the townsfolk exhibit peculiar behaviors (a secretary working without clothing, locals mistaking the engineer for a rockstar, etc.). To add to his troubles, he unwittingly becomes a witness to a suicide, leaving him confined within the town’s boundaries.

9. Visitor of a Museum (1989)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Directors: Karen Shakhnazarov

Writers: Aleksandr Borodyanskiy, Karen Shakhnazarov

Stars: Leonid Filatov, Oleg Basilashvili, Vladimir Menshov

Scenario:

An industrial production line supervisor from Moscow’s factory is dispatched to a quaint village to clarify the new measurements for a mechanical component required by the distributor. However, the villagers appear to be peculiar (a nude secretary, locals mistaking him as a rockstar, etc.), and this individual also happens to witness a suicide, leaving him confined within the town.

10. 4 (2004)

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Directors: Ilya Khrzhanovskiy

Writers: Vladimir Sorokin

Stars: Yuriy Laguta, Marina Vovchenko, Sergey Shnurov

In a Moscow all-night bar, three individuals – butcher Oleg, prostitute Marina, and piano tuner Volodya – share tales of fabricated past lives over drinks, served by a sleepy bartender. Oleg boasts about his role in supplying President Putin with bottled water and the First Lady with alcohol.

I present myself under the guise of a marketing executive, while Volodya, famously known as the frontman of rock band Leningrad, pretends to be a geneticist who specializes in cloning twins (two times two equals four, you know). As our paths diverge, these fictional personas, particularly Volodya’s, gradually seep into our daily experiences.

11. Generation P (2011)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi

Directors: Victor Ginzburg

Writers: Djina Ginzburg (screenplay), Victor Ginzburg (screenplay)

Stars: Vladimir Epifantsev, Mikhail Efremov, Andrey Fomin

Synopsis: A chronicle of the rise of the advertising industry in Post-Soviet Russia.

12. Hard to Be a God (2013)

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi

Directors: Aleksey German

Writers: Arkadiy Strugatskiy (novel), Boris Strugatskiy (novel)

Stars: Leonid Yarmolnik, Aleksandr Chutko, Yuriy Tsurilo

Overview: A Space Explorer from Earth Violates a Cosmic Rule by Altering the Course of History on an Ancient, Planet Reminiscent of the Middle Ages

Or more casually:
An Astronaut from Earth Breaks the Rules and Tinkers with Another World’s Medieval Timeline.

13. Hardcore Henry (2015)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Directors: Ilya Naishuller

Writers: Ilya Naishuller, Will Stewart (additional writing by)

Stars: Sharlto Copley, Tim Roth, Haley Bennett

After being brought back to life without any recollection of his past, Henry embarks on a mission to rescue his wife from the clutches of a ruthless warlord who has psychokinetic abilities and is developing genetically engineered soldiers.

14. The Zohar Secret (2016)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi

Directors: Vladek Zankovsky

Writers: Vladek Zankovsky

Stars: Israel Sasha Demidov, Irina Barinova, Henry David

Max acquires an old script detailing humanity’s entire past and present, intending to exploit it for personal profit. However, activating the device alters events in his own life.

15. Spacewalk (2017)

Genre: Drama, History, Sci-Fi

Directors: Dmitriy Kiselev

Writers: Sergey Kaluzhanov, Yuriy Korotkov

Stars: Evgeniy Mironov, Konstantin Khabenskiy, Vladimir Ilin

Overview: To maintain their advantage in the Space Race, the Soviet Union is training two astronauts for the inaugural space expedition.

16. Attraction (2017)

Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

Directors: Fedor Bondarchuk

Writers: Oleg Malovichko (screenplay), Andrey Zolotarev (screenplay)

Stars: Irina Starshenbaum, Alexander Petrov, Rinal Mukhametov

A spaceship from another world crashes in a Russian urban area, causing some witnesses to ponder their place in life, while others call for the extraterrestrial visitors to depart our planet.

17. The Blackout (2019)

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Directors: Egor Baranov, Nathalia Hencker

Writers: Ilya Kulikov

Stars: Aleksey Chadov, Pyotr Fyodorov, Svetlana Ivanova

Synopsis: Life on Earth is rapidly destroyed except for a small area in Eastern Europe.

18. Coma (2019)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Directors: Nikita Argunov

Writers: Nikita Argunov, Timofei Dekin

Stars: Rinal Mukhametov, Lyubov Aksyonova, Anton Pampushnyy

Overview: Following an enigmatic mishap, a youthful architect regains consciousness in a peculiar realm. He’s compelled to decipher the precise rules governing this place while battling for survival and tirelessly seeking the door that will lead him back to reality.

19. Invasion (2020)

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi

Directors: Fedor Bondarchuk

Writers: Oleg Malovichko, Andrey Zolotarev

Stars: Alexander Petrov, Irina Starshenbaum, Rinal Mukhametov

Following the crash of an extraterrestrial spacecraft, Julia’s life took a dramatic turn. Now, three years on, humanity braces itself for fresh interstellar interactions.

20. Sputnik (2020)

Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi

Directors: Egor Abramenko

Writers: Oleg Malovichko, Andrei Zolotarev

Stars: Oksana Akinshina, Fedor Bondarchuk, Pyotr Fyodorov

Title Translation: The solitary spacecraft accident survivor doesn’t come back home solo – a perilous entity resides within him. (Informal version)

The main character, who miraculously survived an unexplained spaceship mishap, is not the only one returning home – a hazardous organism dwells inside his body. (Formal version)

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2025-05-31 03:16