On The Edge (На острие)

CENTRAL PARTNERSHIP

TELESTO FILM COMPANY

SVETLANA KHODCHENKOVA

STASYA MILOSLAVSKAYA

SERGEI PUSKEPALIS

ALEXEY BARABASH, KILILL DEGTYAR, EVGENIY SYTIY

SOFIYA ERNST, HILDA KARMEN, KRISTINA KUCHERENKO

WRITTEN BY EDUARD BORDUKOV, ALEXANDER EGOROV, MIKHAIL KAKUBERI

ANTON SHANIN, ANNA SOBOLEVSKAYA, IGOR GORDASHNIK

OLEG BELOV, DMITRY EMELYANOV

MIKHAIL MILASHIN

DENIS ISAEV

NADIN DAY ALEXEY KLIMOV

ALEXANDER FEDENEV

ALEXANDER KOSHELEV

IRINA MEDVEDEVA

ANNA GUDKOVA

ELENA GLIKMAN, MIKHAIL DEGTYAR

EDUARD BORDUKOV

ON THE EDGE

We're at the Russian Fencing Cup with only minutes

to go until the Semifinals.

Women's Sabre is ballet with a blade.

Fencing is the second fastest sport.

Only a bullet is faster than a Sabre.

Come on. Hey. Wake up. They've announced you twice already.

Kira Yegorova. Where's she from? Do you know of her?

Yeah. She's only done junior competitions.

This is her first senior championship.

So, did you sleep well?

U-huh.

I'll briefly go over the basic rules. The bout lasts to 15 touches.

A point is awarded to the one who touches first.

Only the touches above the waist count.

On guard! Ready?

Excuse me.

What on Earth's the matter?

I'm sorry.

Is she stalling on purpose?

-Good strategy! -I like her more by the minute.

And Nina is getting annoyed with her.

-Do you mind our presence? -No.

On guard! Ready? Fence!

That... What was that right now?

An impressive speed.

Fence!

It's the second one-light action and it's impressive.

She's not bad. Huh?

Halt!

She's lacking versatility though. She's got just a handful of means.

Her technique is weak too.

Fence!

And what are you going to do about her speed?

I'll drag her into a positioning bout.

Uhm. Well, go ahead, try it. I'm intrigued to see it.

Fence! Halt!

I think we're witnessing the birth of a new star here.

but watch the debutant annihilate her.

Pogodina can't seem to do anything about it.

Looks like we have a sensation.

The debutant shamelessly beats the national team's second-best fencer.

And goes to the Final to have a face-off with the team's leader.

So, it's the Final.

Our national team's leader is Alexandra Pokrovskaya.

She's a legendary Sabre fencer.

At 34 years old, she's a multi-time World and European champion.

And the only summit she hasn’t been able to conquer is getting the Olympic gold.

Go on.

The highly experienced Pokrovskaya versus nineteen-year-old Kira Yegorova.

Fence!

Pokrovskaya's attack is impeccable. It's truly textbook stuff.

I think this bout's outcome is as good as determined.

You are being way too assumptive here.

Halt!

It's three nil for Pokrovskaya. It exceedingly looks like a wipe-out.

On guard! Ready? Fence!

Halt!

Woah-woah-woah! Yegorova miscalculated her attack

and accidentally hit Pokrovskaya in the face with her guard.

Let me see.

It's alright. I just need to stop the bleeding, that's all.

She hit through the mask.

Is your head hurting? Are you dizzy? Can you continue?

U-huh.

Alexandra's courage is certainly praiseworthy.

It takes a lot to decide to continue the bout after a hit like that.

Fencer on my left, it's the yellow card.

I'm not so sure Yegorova really deserved this yellow card.

Are you alright?

After all, it was just an accident.

1:3 Yegorova's first hit.

Kira finally opens the score.

Wow, an immense speed, just take a look at her. This girl in on fire.

Fence!

Another attack by Yegorova.

It certainly looks like the fall has thrown Pokrovskaya off her stride.

She finds it hard to get back on track.

That was a hit! This is the Pokrovskaya we know.

Fence!

Just take a look at how one second has changed everything.

What a fantastic Final. I've got to say,

watching their face-off is a real treat.

Fence!

Halt!

Well, well, well. This should be interesting.

Who will the referee give this point to?

Probably no one as the replay clearly shows that it was a double hit.

Attack from the right. A hit to the left.

Hmm. Strangely the point is awarded to Pokrovskaya.

How's that fair? It was clearly a double hit.

Was that a point for her lifetime achievements?

Kira, quit that. Or you'll get a red card.

Left fencer. Mask on.

Experience beat youth, after all. Pokrovskaya takes the gold.

The Final is sure controversial.

Yes, but in terms of how emotionally charged and intense it was,

this fight was one of the best I've seen.

Congratulations.

Why don't you just skip the next championship altogether?

They'll give the victory to you all the same.

Well, it is likely you won't even be at the next championship

to see it happen with your own eyes.

DAD

Watch where you're going!

What is it that you want?

KIRA YEGOROVA

KIRA YEGOROVA 19 YEARS OLD LEFT-HANDED

Oh, hi, Kira.

Hello. What took you so long?

I'm sorry, they held me back at the championship.

Where is your medal?

Well, I threw it away, you see.

If you lost, why not just say so?

Will it take you long to change your clothes?

The swimmers are partying already. They're waiting for you.

U-huh. I'll go pick a swimsuit, shall I?

Kira.

Come on, don't get offended, ok? I was just kidding.

I am not offended. I am just allergic to chlorine.

How is this my fault?

I am also allergic to morons.

Oh, I see.

If you keep swinging your Sabre like that,

you'll scare away all the men around you. U-huh?

Woah-woah-woah. Is that an attack?

I’ll go see the swim team. You're coming?

No, I don't feel like going.

Oooh, well, I sure will go. You see, I'm not allergic to chlorine, not me.

Besides, Semyonov is going to be there.

Be careful or you might get wet too soon.

Ah. Don't you worry.

Stop staring.

Ah! Kostya.

- Sorry. - You startled me.

Considering how quick your reaction is, I guess

I can almost call it a compliment. Hello.

Indeed, you're very lucky that my sport is not boxing.

Yeah.

A good concert?

Well, there was everyone but Beethoven.

- Uh. - What's the matter? Let me see.

I cut my finger, that's all. I need a bandage.

Don't tell me you started cooking 'cause I won't believe it. Here.

Just leave it to me.

I just cut my finger. It's nothing.

Hmmm.

I can do it all myself. Do you mind?

I don't mind. Take it.

Congratulations, you won.

Thank you.

This is... What cup number was it?

Seven.

I was wondering, why don't they just give it to you to keep, for good?

Has there finally emerged someone worthy of a mention in your diary?

Well, who is this girl?

This girl right here is someone I almost lost to today.

Is she really that strong? She doesn't look it though.

If anything, she looks frail.

Maybe it's just me who became weaker.

Oh, come on. How many of these girls did you face throughout your life?

I'm not so sure.

She's nineteen years old.

Has neither brains nor technique and just charges at you like mad.

Without even knowing what her next move will be.

But there was a moment there

when she just started killing me.

A cut then another

a cut then another a cut then another.

How pretty.

Yeah, I do indeed look just like a zebra now.

U-huh. A bar-code. A very trendy look.

Damn, I'm sick and tired of people posting their seaside picks.

That's it, girls, I've realized something. I want to have a rest.

Why don't you tell Gavrilov about it?

He'll easily organize a seaside and a good rest for you.

With no right to return to the national team.

By the way, I wonder, who will go to the Grand Prix?

Alexandra?

-Huh? -What do you think?

In Belgium we'll have a day between the individual and the team contests.