Alexander Kharitonov

After being demobilized, Ivan Cheprasov came to work in the motorcade. The chief assigns Ivan an ancient wreck that no one has bothered to repair. 'Colombina'—as the drivers jokingly nicknamed the old car—became a 'touchstone' for Ivan, testing his resilience and skill. Additionally, Colombina serves as a highly humanized metaphor for metal in Ivan's life, continuing the tradition of Soviet social realism by portraying another archetype, in this case, the ideal chauffeur.

The fifth-grader Borya, a fidget and an inventor, was appointed a counselor in the first class. Not taking this at first seriously, the boy gradually became interested in new and unexpected duties for him.

La Chasse sauvage du roi Stakh : Un jeune diplômé d'ethnologie se rend en Biélorussie pour étudier son folklore et ses légendes. Il y est hébergé par une chatelaine dont l'ancêtre est une légende : il a tué Stakh, roi des paysans qui a juré de se venger en envoyant régulierement une horde de cavaliers pour annoncer la mort d'un homme du pays.