To Russia with Love (2022 film)
| To Russia with Love | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Veronica Velasco |
| Screenplay by | Biboy Calleja |
| Starring |
|
Production company | Mavx Production |
| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release date |
|
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | Philippines |
| Language | English[1] |
To Russia with Love is a 2022 Philippine romantic comedy film directed by Veronica Velasco and starring Gerald Anderson, Elena Kozlova and Scott Alexander Young. The film revolves around a Filipino entrepreneur from Dipolog, who wins the affections of a Russian free-spirited traveler Oksana and must now also win over her stern and disapproving father Fyodor.[2]
Cast
- Gerald Anderson as Dennis, son of a farm owner and restaurateur based in Dipolog
- Elena Kozlova as Oksana, a Russian tourist who visited Dipolog
- Scott Alexander Young as Fyodor, Oksana's father
- Kakai Bautista as Gorgeous
- Simon Szabo as Maximoff
- Isay Alvarez as Thelma, Dennis's mother
- Malou Crisologo as Yaya Blessie
- Ivan Carapiet
- Jef Gaitan
- Karl Gabriel
- Veronica Reyes
Production
In 2021, Russian ambassador to the Philippines Marat Pavlov revealed that a romance film titled To Russia with Love will be shot by "a Filipino and Russian film company" in Russia which will be about a "Filipino man falling in love with a Russian girl". To Russia with Love was produced as a straight-to-video due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic at the time.[3]
However the film was later revealed to be a sole production of Philippine studio Mavx Productions under director Veronica Velasco and writer Biboy Calleja and was produced under .[4] Filming for To Russia With Love took place in Moscow, Russia with some scenes taken in Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte in the Philippines.[5] The film is Kozlova's screen debut.[6] The film was described as "celebrating Moscow-Manila ties."
Release
To Russia with Love was first released on Netflix on November 1, 2022.[4]
Reception
A review in the Daily Tribune described the movie as formulaic, with poor acting from Anderson, and says that the only good scene was one in which Anderson's character wrestles a bear.[7] Common Sense Media called it a "dull, confusing romcom".[8] Fred Hawson whose review was published by ABS-CBN calls the film "predictable" and described the Russian characters as stereotypical. Hawson also noted the bear wrestling scene as the only part of the film with "realistic danger".[9]
The film was among the most streamed on Netflix in the Philippines in November 2022.[5]
References
- ^ Requintina, Robert (October 5, 2022). "Model Elena Kozlova debuts in rom-com film 'To Russia with Love' on Netflix". Manila Bulletin.
Please watch! It's a super funny, rom-com," added Elena."It's 90 percent in English, and then there are English subtitles for the rest!
- ^ Cabral, Katrina Maisie (February 24, 2023). "15 Filipino Shows and Movies That Starred a Foreign Love Interest". Preview.ph.
- ^ Mendoza, Red (May 25, 2021). "To Russia with love: New film celebrates Moscow-Manila ties". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ a b Santos, Rhea Manila (October 25, 2025). "Watch: Gerald Anderson's new film 'To Russia With Love' teaser trailer". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ a b Gabinete, Jojo (November 2, 2022). "To Russia With Love ni Gerald Anderson, umakyat agad sa No. 3 sa Netflix" [To Russia With Love of Gerald Anderson, quickly rosed to No. 3 in Netflix]. PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Requintina, Robert (October 5, 2022). "Model Elena Kozlova debuts in rom-com film 'To Russia with Love' on Netflix". Manila Bulletin.
- ^ Mayo, Stephanie (November 5, 2022). "'To Russia with Love': Trying hard to be a Hollywood romcom". Daily Tribune. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ "To Russia with Love Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ "Netflix review: Cultures clash in predictable 'To Russia With Love'". ABS-CBN. November 3, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2025.