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Famous Aksinya from “The Quiet Don”

Today, April 4, 2018, is the anniversary of Elina Bystritskaya, the USSR People’s Actress, a theatre and cinema actress, a teacher, professor, academician, president of the Charitable Foundation in Support of Art and Science, and vice-president of the International Foundation of the Maternal and Child Health Care.

For the residents of Vyoshenskaya and millions of viewers of the world Elina Avraamovna remains their favourite Aksinya, which role she acted in the feature film “The Quiet Don” made by the film director Sergey Gerasimov.

While on a visit to Paris in 1956, Bystritskaya learned that Gerasimov was looking for the actors to star in filming “The Quiet Don”. Upon arrival in Moscow, just from the airport, she called to the film director and asked him to admit her to screen tests. 30 actresses claimed this role. When asked, M.A.Sholokhov saw the photo of Bystritskaya and exclaimed: “So here is Aksinya!”

The first and the second series of the film “The Quiet Don” were shown in cinema on October 26, 1975. The premiere of the third film series took place on April 30, 1958, in the House of Culture in Stanitsa Vyoshenskaya. To see “The Quiet Don” the viewers came from the entire neighbourhood. The film ran round the clock. One of the film sessions was visited by Mikhail Alexandrovich Sholokhov. Sergey Gerasimov, Pyotr Glebov and Vadim Zakharchenko spoke before the audience.

In the collection of the Museum-Reserve of M.A.Sholokhov there is a photo copy of “The Quiet Don” film fragment, which was presented by Elina Avraamovna to the Karghin Memorial Historical Complex: ”To Sholokhov Museum in Karghinskaya for good memory! E.Bystritskaya”.

In the Memorial House at the Estate of M.A.Sholokhov, in the writer’s study and reception room there is a picture of E.A.Bystritskaya in the role of Aksinya with the actress’ autograph: “Thank you for Aksinya! Vyoshki is at a stone’s throw, I thought I would come soon… But the studio father-in-law doesn’t let me!...” Bystritskaya presented this photo to Sholokhov in 1956, while filming was taking place in Dichensky Village of the Kamensk District.

Yelena Ponomaryova
Yelena Kleimenova