Women

The famous, cult Soviet films are based on the novels of Irina Velembovskaya: "Sweet Woman," starring Natalia Gundareva, Petr Velyaminov, and Oleg Yankovsky; "Women" with Nina Sazonova, Inna Makarova, and Vitaly Solomin; "Young Wife" with Anna Kamchenkova.
The heroines of Irina... Velembovskaya are very different: simple and naïve, like Alya from "Women"; cunning ones, about whom it is said, "she has her own agenda," like Anna Dobrokhotova from "Sweet Woman"; honest and straightforward, like Marisha Ogonykova from the eponymous story. But they are all united by a passionate, irresistible desire to find happiness at all costs.


When books about the successes of Soviet construction and labor feats were revered, Velembovskaya wrote about ordinary people and their decidedly non-heroic lives. About how sometimes it is hard, almost unbearable, to fight against circumstances, how bitter it is to have to come to terms with injustice. And this resonated in the hearts of readers.
Irina Velembovskaya tells about her characters with great love, and the reader, following her, becomes filled with love and sympathy for them. A few details, characteristic speech, descriptions of appearance – and suddenly the characters become real people. So similar to us, contemporary ones – also in search of happiness, love, understanding, warmth.
That is why the novels and stories written in the 60s-70s of the last century by Irina Velembovskaya are still read today in one breath.