"Forest story” is in many ways a landmark film for our culture and history. This is the first Belarusian film officially released at the facilities of the future Belarusfilm company. Secondly, in the film footage you can see old Minsk, the first half of the 20th century. In addition, one of the main locations for filming was the Czapski palace complex in Pryluki; there is also plenty of footage of this landmark.

Film crew of the film "Forest Story"
The film crew and some actors of the film “Forest Story”, the photo was taken from the park side of the estate in Priluki

The basis for the plot of Lesnaya was the story “The Swineherd” by Mikhas Charot; it is curious that the film could have such a title; the option of Grishka the Swineherd was also considered.

Palace in Priluky film "Forest Story"
Czapski Palace, front side, still from the film

Film stills of Priluk and Minsk in the film "Forest True" 1926

“Forest Story” was released in 1926, a silent film with subtitles, divided into 8 parts. If you watch a digitized film today, you can easily notice that different parts of the film have different quality. In addition, the 3rd part was lost.

Film Glad True Story 1926

Of course the film is interesting to watch to see Czapski Palace, as he was during the filming period.

Priluki in the film Forest Story of 1926

There are enough interior shots and views with plans of the park facade. The scene where the Polish regiment is moving is priceless in its own way; it shows ice tower.

Priluki in the 1926 film
In the background, note the ice tower

However, the footage of Priluki can hardly be called “amazing”; after all, the palace has survived to this day in almost the same form. Frames with Minsk, where identifying streets and buildings is already problematic.

Forest true footage of Minsk in the film
Stary Mensk from the film “Lyasnaya True”

There are shots of the completely lost Kosmodemyanskaya street, old Zybitskaya (Torgovaya), Cathedral Square and much more.

Old Mensk in the film Lyasnaya True

Mensk 1926

Interesting fight scene where the former hotel and inn building is visible.

Minsk 1926 model

Forest story - the first film from Belarus

Old footage of Minsk in the first half of the 20th century

Minsk from different periods can be seen in a dozen films of the last century, for example 1967 in the film “Beloved” and 1971 in film “World Guy”.

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