The last role of Sergei Puskepalis – in the project “Trader”
Photo: First channel
Tragically dead in the fall of 2022 when transporting an armored car to the Donbass Sergey Puskepalis left a great mark on art – he talentedly directed the oldest theater in Yaroslavl, staged performances, acted in films and serials. Some of them, as it turns out, have not even come out yet. It is all the more pleasant to learn that on the air you can see Sergey’s “new” work – the last role of the actor – in the project “Trader” (First channel).
This is a spy detective in the format of the series “The Americans”, which shows the confrontation between smart representatives of the Soviet and American intelligence services. Puskepalis often played security officials – and in “Trader” he played the role of Dmitry Pirogov – the head of a large domestic foreign trade company, who in the mid-90s went to Iraq to negotiate on the UN Oil for Food program. Baghdad, according to the plot, becomes the center of attraction for money, business and, of course, special services.
Photo: Channel One
In the main role in this – Mikhail Gavrilov (“Vampires of the middle zone”), he played the young oil trader Oleg Nesterov, who is embroiled in the games of the security forces of the two superpowers.
Photo: Channel One
The script was written Nina Bukhman (“Anatomy of the heart”). The director’s chair was taken by an Englishman Anthony Wallerwho grew up in Lebanon. He is known for such works as “Mute Witness”, “American Werewolf in Paris”, “Guilty”, “Horror at a depth of 9 miles.” He also produced the Russian drama Gagarin. First in space.”
The action in the Arab countries was filmed in Tunisia, Israeli and Arab actors played in the series. The group spent several shooting days in New York, filming street scenes, but more often America was “found” in Moscow. Oil rigs were filmed in Nizhnevartovsk and the Moscow region.
Photo: Channel One
“When I received the script for The Trader, my first thought was: “OK, the series is Russian-made, which means, for sure, it will be anti-American and stuff like that…,” the British director admitted. – Having read more, I was slightly surprised, but the plot turned out to be unbiased, there is no propaganda there. And this is great, because the very reality is that humanity as a whole is both good and bad and evil. And these qualities cannot be divided along national or cultural lines. Therefore, in the “Trader” there are good, bad and evil Russians, as well as good, bad and evil Americans, as well as equally different Arabs. Over the course of the series, we will see how many people from such different cultures have in common, if we look at their emotional and moral and ethical components. And even more of them can be seen when it comes to true love.
“Trader”, Channel One, May 15-18, 22.00
