A peculiar deal is struck between the teenagers...
“Your Heart Will Be Broken” is a Russian melodrama based on the novel of the same name by Anna Jane, who passed away in 2023. The book has been read more than 6.5 million times. Before filming, an open casting call for extras was announced on social media, and the crew consulted with fans.
This is the story of Polina Tumanova, a woman whose life suddenly cracks. Behind the facade of family well-being lie secrets that could destroy everything she holds dear. But in times of trial, the heroine discovers a strength she never suspected she had – the power of love and memory.
A peculiar deal is struck between the teenagers: Bars protects Polina, and she helps him with his studies and does not interfere in his affairs. At first, it is just a game, but gradually real feelings develop between the characters. However, their relationship faces resistance from those around them: classmates, Polina's parents, her stepbrother Lime, and Bars' ex-girlfriend Sasha oppose the lovers.
The film is directed by Mikhail Vainberg. He aimed to convey the sincerity and fragility of first love while maintaining the honesty of the narrative. The director wanted to avoid a clichéd happy ending, showing that the characters go through trials and change. Mikhail paid attention to casting, listening to the opinions of the book's fans, and appreciated the professionalism of the young actors.
The director searched for a city that would convey the atmosphere of the story. Among the potential locations were Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, and Novosibirsk, but the choice fell on Yekaterinburg. The city impressed the crew with its combination of new architecture and energy: on one hand, it has a metropolitan scale, while on the other, the pace of life is not so frantic, which better reveals the emotional connections between the characters.
The team spent a total of 35 shooting days, with more than half of them – 21 shifts – taking place in Yekaterinburg. The work was intense: the actors, mostly young, demonstrated remarkable endurance and professionalism. They had to work 12-hour shifts, sometimes in challenging weather conditions – for example, some key scenes were filmed in pouring rain.
To fill the film with lively faces and the atmosphere of a real city, the creators launched an open casting call on social media for participation in crowd scenes. The initiative resonated: over 5,400 people sent in their videos. From this number, the brightest participants were selected, who then appeared on screen and helped make the film more authentic.
The director paid special attention to the story's finale. He consciously rejected a clichéd happy ending in favor of an honest resolution. According to Vainberg's vision, viewers should feel that the characters have gone through a difficult journey, faced trials, and ultimately changed – not superficially, but genuinely, while still retaining faith in love and the sincerity of feelings.
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