iam_usa2006 I bought this movie DVD from DVD store...I never know anything about this movie but I decided to purchase it for several reason> 1. It is hard to find any Eastern European movie 2. I was attracted by the awards won by this movie and it was clearly stated on the cover( indeed..I purchased many non-mainstream movie DVD based on the awards won..it usually quite representative of their quality!~ It works..almost never fail) 3. That woman look exotic and cute...I was in the movie right away...in the first few seconds...not a huge budget movie but one could see how superb the director and the photographer skill.. (they won several best directors/photos award!!!They deserved them!)Natural and direct and honest to the bone...about three..one Russian condemned to death(most likely...for a treason excuse that's ridiculous..a sniper Finnish that was left behind by the retreating army...and a very cute and adorable Lapps/Sami woman,,,)All speak in their own languages..little understanding about other but they tried to understand and interpret them intuitively and of course..based on their very personal perception and experience..Not to spoil you all...just a quick synopsis.. A Finnish sniper(ex-associate of German SS) was chained in forest to await his fate..he managed to free himself..and a Russian man...was condemned to court martial for treason(he wrote some poems about life and peace....)...both of them was sheltered by a Lapps/Sami woman,,,a widow whose hubby was snatched by Russian..(she is absolutely natural and adorable..the way she walks...look at ya...unpolished yet deep and very touching...there was many interesting and funny conversation as three of them speak in their own language...and both of the men had sexual relationship with the Lapp woman...eventually..when the war was over...both men decided to go back to "land where their mother were and gave birth of them.."They lived together in wild for sometimes.....the essence of this movie was the human natural instinct of love...care and respect of each,,,although each of them have very good reason to terminate each other..The Lapp woman...gave birth to a pair of twin boys.....in the last scene, and she narrated the whole event...Highly recommended,,,,,you will go to sleep with a smile....10/10ImUSA2006

gradyharp THE CUCKOO (Kukushka) is a small miracle of a film. It is not only a unique story but one that draws us into the individual lives of three people form different languages and backgrounds who bond in time of war because of their mutual isolation. It is at once charming, gently humorous, and deeply touching.Taking place during WW II during the little known Russo-Finnish War, the setting is Lapland. We first encounter a Finnish student/soldier Veikko (Ville Haapasalo) being chained by the Russians to a rock in a German SS uniform as punishment for his disillusionment in the war effort, thinking that he will be killed as the enemy. In another area some Russian soldiers are transporting a Russian poet/soldier Ivan (Viktor Bychkov) condemned for his anti-Communist stance: the jeep transporting Ivan is bombed, killing the soldiers except for Ivan. Along comes a little Lapp girl Anni (Anni-Kristiina Juuso), finds the severely injured Ivan, drags him to her hut and nurses him back to health. Meanwhile Veikko ingeniously frees himself from his rock and wanders into the presence of Anni. Veikko speaks Finnish, Ivan speaks Russian and Anni (aka 'Cuckoo') speaks Sami and the three cannot understand each other's language or customs. Ivan sees Veikko as a fascist and wants to destroy him; Veikko never wanted to be in the war anyway so he pacifies Ivan; Anni is more concerned with basic physical needs (her husband has been gone four years, conscripted by the armed forces for a war she doesn't understand and she is hungry for the presence of a man in her bed!). The story explains the manner in which these three people intertwine their lives and beliefs and overcome the barriers of language to form a trio of true universal family. The war ends and the three 'bodies' separate, leaving behind indelible evidence of their transforming experiences.Writer/director Aleksandr Rogozhkin has created a masterpiece, a film brimming with beauty of visuals, of warmly humorous exchanges of dialog understood only by each speaker, of survival and of the mystery of life beyond. The acting is superb, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the message is deeply moving. In the field of strong anti-war statements, THE CUCKOO is the most sincere. A brilliant achievement! Grady Harp

multimail-2 Fascinating film this, in many ways.Slow to start, as the conscientious objector is nailed to a rock as bait following the ending of WW2 hostilities in Scandanavia. The director takes is through a sometimes quite painfully slow process as or young soldier fights a battle with a nail and chain. The scene when the chain gets released is a relief.The scenery, the close-ups, the human facial reactions throughout carry this film well. I can't understand why some friends of mine say they cannot watch subtitled films - here we have no choice - though non verbal communication or body language is clearly universal, even in adversity.My favourite scene: when the young soldier suffers from the Russian guys bullet. He drifts away into unconsciousness and is bought back the Saami woman's traditional trance like spell - the scene cuts to a young boy in white (angel of death) leading our character away, only to be pulled back to the present at the very end.As someone interested in people and communications this film is a classic - ends beautifully and the camera-work throughout is wonderful.Watch it a few times, be sure to catch the humour!

james-brandon-1 Kukushka (The Cuckoo)is one of the best Russian films to be released since 2000, featuring a first-rate international cast and one of the finest directors working in Russia (or anywhere else) today. Rogozhkin's WWII-themed film follows the fates of a pacifist Finnish sniper who has been abandoned by his comrades, a Russian officer in the midst of being purged by the NKVD, and a Lapp (Sami) woman whose husband disappeared after going to war. The interplay between the three protagonists is sharp, and there is no small sense of accomplishment for the English-speaking viewer (with no knowledge of Russian, Finnish or Sami) to realize that they consistently understand the situation better than any of the characters. The linguistic challenges are amusing and, at times, heartbreaking. Although a few of the plot elements strain credibility, Kukushka is enjoyable to watch, and this unconventional take on the love triangle theme had me on the edge of my seat throughout the film. The Finnish actor Haapasalo, who Rogozhkin also worked with on the "National Hunting" series, displays his acting range, as well as his ability to mesh with Juuso and Bychkov (another "National Hunting" veteran), who are also excellent. The action sequences look professional, the cinematography is sublime and the story is intriguing, but it is the ensemble acting that makes this film worthy of multiple viewings.