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The Ministry of Culture of the Russian federation

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Pilot
Animation studio founded by Aleksandr Tatarsky

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Present

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We live in Russia.

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Our coat of arms is
a golden two-headed eagle.

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Russia was once an empire.

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The Russian flag waved in Europe,

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Asia and even America,

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where passes the imaginary line
that separates "Yesterday" and "Today".

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So one could even celebrate the
New Year, or one's birthday, twice.

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Time is a relative concept,

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that's why the 30 year of reign of the queen

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is called the "age" of Catherine the Great.

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The nations of the empire flourished then.

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And best of all lived the happiest people:

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Schoolkids. See as they receive favorite subjects:

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history, geography, geometry,

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not to forget - sea battles, 
and other interesting topics.

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And, of course, vaccination against smallpox.

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Look, once again it's a total "victoria"

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- victory, as we call it in our time.

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In her grandchildren, who would be
the future tsars,

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- Catherine instilled a love
for the common people.

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She composed and wrote down fairy tales.

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It's true what they say - the soul
of the people is alive in those tales.

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And it is as precious as a gem stone.

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Mountain of Gems

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Potyomkin Villages

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When she was Empress,

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Catherine the Great loved to take a break 
in "Tsarskoye Selo".(The Royal village)

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Catherine's Palace "Tsarskoye Selo"

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She drank tea with bagels and 
hosted foreign ambassadors.

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[Saxon ambassador]
This, by the way is such a type,
Saxon by the look of it.

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He tries to win her over but he doesn't know
how to surprise the queen to grant her favor.

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And she yawns, and looks out of the
window to see if Prince Potyomkin is arriving.

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He, indeed, often did.

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The very appearance of the prince,

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his majestic posture - immediately
shows a man of remarkable calibre,

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Possessing a brilliant, lively mind
- he always was able to impress the Empress,

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therefore, at the palace they were always 
happy to see him. Eh!

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[THE CROWN OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE]

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"Well," said Catherine, "with what 
did the prince come to see us?"

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So he unfolded the map, and said:

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"I want to realise, mother Empress, 
your long cherished dream.

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Allow me to conquer Taurida* from the Turks
so there would be no more attacks on Russian lands.
*South Ukraine & Crimea

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Let this unfortunate peninsula 
not be a wart on one's nose 

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but the jewel in the crown 
of the Russian Empire.

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Catherine took a liking to the idea.

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"Do go on and realize it, Prince." 
Thus infused with enthusiasm, Potyomkin went off.

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The Saxon ambassador nearly burst from jealousy, 
"Oh. How did he manage to win her over that easily?!"

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The treaty of Jassy was signed by G.A.
Potyomkin for the Russian Empire and
Yusuf Pasha for the Ottoman Empire

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The prince returned as the victor.

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And brought back Catherine a
box with a luxurious pearl

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and other gifts and souvenirs.

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He invited her to visit the new
southern lands of Russia,

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in order to personally verify the beauty

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and the wealth of this region and see the new 
stronghold of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea.

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"I love traveling," said Catherine,

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"But it's a painfully long distance.

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Don't you let me be bored, darling.
Entertain me as best you can.

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As a bonus, we can show our foreign
ambassadors what a glorious future
Tauride has in store.

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Will you do that?"

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"Do not worry, Empress-Mother," 
said Potyomkin,

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"I will do my best to entertain you. 
Everything will be done in the best possible way!

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We'll rub their noses in it!"

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The Saxon ambassador turned quite sour.

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And the prince went to prepare the new
lands for the arrival of the Empress.

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so as to not lose face and justify
the high trust Her Highness put in him.

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He drove on and on, until the road ended...

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and the wheels fell off!

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Well, there he was!

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The Prince looked around:
all back country, all rot,

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peasant huts with no value.
All askew and crooked.

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With diligence he got to work on a large scale...

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The dirt-faced people he cleaned and combed their hair

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He made them wear dresses in the latest fashion.

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Let them know that in Russia, too,
there are things to marvel at.

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He built fun-looking villages
and devised fanciful entertainments.

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The Queen would be overjoyed, and
the ambassadors would be astonished.

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WELCOME!

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With all these actions time flew. 
Winter was already here.

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The prince sent the Empress a dispatch: 
"Everything is ready, awaiting your visit!"

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If it's ready, then so be it. 
Let us ride!

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And Catherine started her journey, together 
with her ambassadors, and their entourage.

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All are eager to see her wonderful new borderlands.

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MARCH APRIL MAY

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To make a long story short, the cortege 
of the Empress finally reached Tauride.

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"Well," said Catherine, "show us 
what you have built here."

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Oh, this wine is delicious! 
No worse than the French. 

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[For the Ambassadors]

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Next the queen went for a walk and was amazed.

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Standing along the road were 
homes with columns and balconies.

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In front of the houses festively dressed people 
welcomed the Queen, bowing deeply.

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But the Ambassador poked his nose everywhere, 
looking for some vile act he could perform,

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to disgrace Potyomkin in the eyes of the Empress.

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To prove that the only thing Potyomkin is capable of

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is sprinkling dust in everyone's eyes. 
His "fun" villages are worthless.

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[Show booth]

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Poke them with a finger, and they fall apart.

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But the queen, 

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[Amazon Company]
....meanwhile, was happy.

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Oh, Potyomkin!

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You sure entertained me!

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But we must move on.

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And the royal cortege hit the road.

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[TAURIDE]

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The passed the Tauride steppe, 
and came to the sea shore.

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There, a dashing naval officer
invited Catherine on the fancy ship.

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"Mother Empress, come on board.

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And for you, sir, another boat 
is awaiting. If you please. "

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[For the Ambassadors]

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But our ambassador keeps questioning things:

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"Just you look: the cannons and ships,
all the celebrated Russian fleet

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is also made of cardboard!"

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SEVASTOPOL

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Catherine arrived with her entourage at Sevastopol.

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And once again the surprise of the Empress 
had no limits.

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There were heavenly gardens,

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oriental palaces,

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and marvelous fountains everywhere you looked 
- all wonderful and unusual.

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Even an elephant was there!

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But the ambassador already was fuming:

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"There is nothing real in Tauride - everything is fake!

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Yes, it's all cardboard!

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All Russia is a colossus with feet of clay!"

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Here his Highness Prince Grigoriy Potyomkin 
awaited the Empress.

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"So, Mother Empress, I trust
the way here was not boring?"

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"Potyomkin, you certainly
astonished me!" Catherine replied.

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The ambassador whispered into the ear
of the Empress that Potyomkin had pilfered
all of the state's money

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to spend it on this dog-and-pony show.

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"Thanks for your gayeties," said the queen,

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"And now, what will you show me that is real?"

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And Catherine saw the new city

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- stronghold of the Russian fleet in the
Black Sea against all the foreigners and heathens.

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She sees the new shipyards and the port. Ships!

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But Ambassador jumped up in impotent rage: 
"It's all a hoax, it's all cardboard!"

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And strode forward to damage 
the property of the treasury.

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"I'll show you yet!" he shouted at Potyomkin, 
"Mark my words!" and he left.

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What a pity, he missed the fireworks. 
A salute in honor of Crimea,

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the beauty and richness of which shines
through the centuries in the history
of the Russian state.

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Yet the Saxon ambassador executed his threat.

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He defamed the name of His Serene Highness 
the Prince of Tauride,

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[World bestseller "Potyomkin Villages"]
who contributed so much to the glory of Russia. 

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His name is firmly associated with
the expression "Potyomkin villages",

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with something having a colourful facade

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but an ugly inside.

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Scenario Natasha Lemur
Direction M Polyakov

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But Tauride ever since has shone as a precious 
valuable in the crown of the Russian Empire.

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And its brightest jewel is Sevastopol.

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The End 2017
Subs by Eus & Chapaev (2018),
ed. Niffiwan (2021)