The Beginning

Pacha Stroganova, a factory worker in Retschenk, feels she has a true calling for the theater. She performs in a local troupe, but because of her unattractive appearance, she is only given witch roles. At last, a film director notices her: he is looking for a new actress to play the part of Joan of Arc. Pacha is chosen and leaves for Moscow, where she finds success. Yet she prefers the simplicity of her life in the village.

The Beginning is a 1970 drama romance movie directed by Gleb Panfilov, starring Leonid Kuravlyov, Tatyana Stepanova, Inna Churikova. It holds an IMDb rating of 7.7/10 from 1,177 votes and runs 1h 31m.