Demobbed (2000 film)

Demobbed ДМБ
Directed by	Roman Kachanov
Written by	Roman Kachanov Ivan Okhlobystin
Produced by	Sergei Alekseyev Maksim Garanin Sergei Khotimsky
Starring	Alexander Belyavsky Juozas Budraitis Viktor Pavlov Ivan Okhlobystin Sergei Gabrielyan Sergei Artsibashev Aleksandr Dedyushko Stanislav Duzhnikov Roman Kachanov Pyotr Korshunkov Aleksei Panin Mikhail Petrovsky Mikhail Vladimirov Vladimir Shainsky
Cinematography	Anatoli Susekov
Edited by	Albina Antipenko
Music by	Pavel Molchanov
Distributed by	Kinokompaniya Carmen
Release date	12 April 2000 (2000-04-12)
Running time	88 minutes
Country	Russia
Language	Russian

Demobbed (Russian: ДМБ, romanized: DMB) is a cult Russian comedy film by Roman Kachanov, showing an absurdist view on the Russian army through the eyes of a conscript. The brutal rituals of Dedovshchina, a major problem within Russian society, is shown not as a tragedy, but as an idyllically insane process of resocialization.

Several stars of Soviet cinema cast in the roles of senior officers; prominent theater director Sergey Artsybashev portrayed the iconic protagonist Dikiy Prapor ("Wild Warrant Officer")

The film's popularity prompted the producers to create four sequels (DMB-2, DMB-3, DMB-4 and DMB-5), but with limited reception.

Three young Russians from very different walks of life involuntarily enter the military to escape their past.

Plot

The film follows three young men with troubled pasts who are drawn into the Russian army in the 1990s. Vladislav Kashirsky, a university student expelled for a scandalous affair with the dean's wife; Anatoly Pestemev, a factory worker escaping charges after accidentally causing a fire; and Gena Bobkov, a gambler evading creditors, find themselves at the army’s induction center among an eclectic group of recruits. The story, narrated by Gena, portrays conscription practices and the motley assortment of young men who are often reluctantly swept into service.

The film is divided into four novellas, each capturing a distinct aspect of the recruits’ journey. In the first novella, they meet Sergeant Kazakov, who leads them in a chaotic journey to their base. In “The Slap,” the trio faces intense hazing from senior soldiers and a series of mishaps that slowly bond them. In “The Samurai Boar,” the recruits are tasked with preparing a makeshift farm for a general's visit, leading to bizarre adventures involving local widows, drunken officers, and a boar hunt gone awry. The film concludes with a darkly humorous swearing-in ceremony, with Gena reflecting on the resilience required to endure military life. Each novella highlights the absurdities, struggles, and unlikely camaraderie forged within the conscripted ranks.

Awards

International awards

• 2000 — Demobbed — FIPRESCI Special Mention: «For its humour and for the ironic look on Russian society which allows to overcome tragedies of everyday life and might open doors to the new cinema.

Selected national awards

• 2000 – Russian Guild of Film Critics Best Screenplay (Roman Kachanov, Ivan Okhlobystin).
• 2000 — Kinotavr Special Jury Prize

External links

• Demobbed at IMDb
• FIPRESCI-Awards-2000