Constantinople 2025: about the historical drama

On the online cinema "Ivi", the first season of the historical drama series "Konstantinopol" has been presented. This project depicts the lives of Russian emigrants living in Istanbul in the 1920s.

1920, Istanbul (Constantinople) — a boiling pot of emigration where power is divided among Russian officers, local merchants, and British commanders. The former White Guards, exhausted by the oppression from the Turks, form an ethnic group for mutual support and justice.

At the head of this group is Russian Colonel Sergey Neratov, distinguished by his honesty and courage. Alongside him are the adventurer Pyotr Sablin, his sister Serafima, baroness Yekaterina Dikova, and doctor Borodayevsky.

As they try to establish order among the Russian emigrants, they fight with both weapons and conscience. In the series, English Colonel Noxsveld is portrayed as the main adversary of the Russians.

He engages in sabotage, incites emigrants against the Turks, and doesn’t even stop at massacres. Neratov and his team continue their struggle for survival, resorting to force for the sake of justice and good intentions.

The series is presented as a blend of “Gangs of New York”, Guy Ritchie’s “The Gentlemen”, and the Russian post-imperial noir genre. It is a story reflecting how a new government is formed from the ruins of an empire.

The roles in the series are played by Aleksandr Ustyugov, Sergey Marin, and Kirill Kyaro. Viewers highly praised the actors' performances, particularly noting Marin's outstanding role.

Although the series has been highly rated for its visual effects and for creating a historical atmosphere, there has been criticism regarding the use of modern music and costumes. On one hand, the series is accused of romanticizing Russian emigration, and on the other, of disparaging them.

Some viewers considered the series an allegory reflecting how the English and Turks changed the fate of Russian emigrants. Overall, the series has sparked much discussion and controversy, but its visual and dramatic facets have been praised by audiences.

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