Nina Mager

Fitil is a popular Soviet/Russian television satirical/comedy short film series which ran for about 500 episodes. Some of the episodes were aimed at children, and were called Фитилёк, Fitilyok, Little Fuse. Each issue contained from the few short segments: documentary, fictional and animated ones. Directed by various artists, including Leonid Gaidai who presented his famous trio of Nikulin, Vitsin and Morgunov into the cast. It was called in USSR as "the anecdotes from the Soviet government".

Pavel Pavlovich Goryaev is not that young of an actor. For many years he plays in the provincial theater in leading roles. The director of a play based on a play that was written for Goryaev takes the young actor for his role. Goryaev at first falls into despair, leaves the theater, turns to friends. After a while he digests what happened and realizes that it is time to leave the stage with dignity.

An interesting voyage through the Soviet television and film industry.

A young man tries to make everybody happy including the girl he's in love with and her divorcing parents.

The cafe is almost empty. A customer tries in vain to choose a meal to his liking. The barmaid and two waitresses are discussing a recent radio program in which a retired waiter talks about the plight of his colleagues in the old days. The customer is nervous: borscht is impossible to eat, crayfish is already peckless, milk is sour, beer is warm.... The disappointed customer, leaving, says that he was the one who spoke on the radio. The waitresses apologize: they thought it was an ordinary customer, but now they will serve him in no time. The man refuses and in a peculiar way - by verse and personal example - gives a lesson in cultural service.

1941 year. The Siberian carpenter Kuzma Kroykov arrived in Moscow as part of a rifle company. In a line of fighters, he walked through the streets of Moscow at night and in a village near Moscow met Varvara Oknova. Resolute, tall and beautiful, she won his heart. But soon the protracted terrible battles for Moscow began...

The talented artist entered a seminary, but, disappointed in the clergy, found the strength to leave the Church.

A modest girl, Svetlana, unfortunately got involved with a seasoned speculator, whose husband brought expensive things from different countries, and they sold everything they brought at exorbitant prices. Soon, Svetlana's excessive fascination with clothes led to her spiritual impoverishment...