The Potter's Wheel Poster

The Potter's Wheel 1974

95 min📅 1974-07-02

Set against the rustic charm of a Yaroslavl village, *The Potter's Wheel* (1974) weaves a quietly captivating tale of tradition, craftsmanship, and the quiet dignity of an aging artisan.

Director: Vadim Derbenyov

Cast

Andrey Fayt
Andrey Fayt
Sergey Tikhonov
Sergey Tikhonov
Eduard Martsevich
Eduard Martsevich
Aleksandra Denisova
Aleksandra Denisova
Aleksei Kuznetsov
Aleksei Kuznetsov
Natalya Shvets
Natalya Shvets
Iosif Kutyansky
Iosif Kutyansky
Georgi Svetlani
Georgi Svetlani
Lev Dubov
Vyacheslav Zholobov
Vyacheslav Zholobov

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Potter's Wheel (1974) about?

The film follows a documentary crew as they spend three days in a Yaroslavl village documenting Mikhail Lukich Bolotnikov, an elderly master potter whose life and craft become the heart of their story. As the crew films, Bolotnikov's work reveals deeper truths about tradition, time, and the quiet artistry of everyday life.

Who directed The Potter's Wheel?

Vadim Derbenyov directed *The Potter's Wheel*, bringing a nuanced, observational style that highlights the film's themes of craftsmanship and rural life.

Who stars in The Potter's Wheel?

The film features a cast including Andrey Fayt, Sergey Tikhonov, Eduard Martsevich, Aleksandra Denisova, and Aleksei Kuznetsov.

Is The Potter's Wheel (1974) worth watching?

If you appreciate slow-burn dramas that celebrate craftsmanship and rural life, *The Potter's Wheel* is a hidden gem. Its gentle pacing and focus on an aging artisan's legacy make it a unique watch, though its unrated status and niche genre might limit its appeal to broader audiences.

How long is The Potter's Wheel?

The movie runs for 95 minutes.

About The Potter's Wheel (1974) — A Quiet Romance of Craftsmanship and Legacy

Set against the rustic charm of a Yaroslavl village, *The Potter's Wheel* (1974) weaves a quietly captivating tale of tradition, craftsmanship, and the quiet dignity of an aging artisan. Director Vadim Derbenyov crafts a gentle portrait of Mikhail Lukich Bolotnikov, a master potter whose hands shape clay into timeless beauty, while a film crew documents his craft over three days. Blending romance with the raw authenticity of a TV movie, the film lingers on themes of legacy and the fleeting nature of human connection. The atmosphere is warm yet melancholic, as the village and its people become characters in their own right, their lives intertwined with the potter's legacy. The cinematography, rich in earthy tones, mirrors the textures of Bolotnikov's creations, grounding the story in a sense of place that feels both intimate and timeless.

As the crew captures Bolotnikov's daily rituals—his careful molding, the kiln's glow, the hushed conversations with villagers—the film transforms into a meditation on artistry and the stories embedded in every pot. With a cast led by Andrey Fayt, Sergey Tikhonov, and Eduard Martsevich, *The Potter's Wheel* shines a spotlight on the unsung heroes of rural life, where creativity is both a personal triumph and a communal thread. The result is a film that lingers in the mind, leaving viewers to ponder the beauty in the ordinary and the legacies we leave behind.