F.A.F. Entertainment
with the participation of Studio "AF-Centre"
Ministry of Culture of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania
State Committee of Russian Federation for Cinematography
present
an animated film by Mikhail Tumelya
The Magic Pipe
based on the Ossetian Nart saga
Producers: Lidiya Gapuzova, Aleksey Guskov, Sergey Zernov
Screenplay: Lidiya Gapuzova Adapted from Viktor Genkin's writings
Director-producer: Mikhail Tumelya
Art director: Dmitriy Surinovich
Cinematographer: Aleksandr Betev
Composers: Zhanna Pliyeva, Yuriy Pryalkin
Animators: Anna Lysyatova, Stanislav Speranskiy,
Tatyana Yatsyna, Mikhail Tumelya
Lead puppet masters: Tatyana Volkova, Vladimir Shchegolkov
Sound: Yan Pototskiy Montage: Lidiya Volokhova, Irina Aksenenko
Actors Grandfather: Aslanbek Archegov Grandson: Akhsar Dudiyev
Voice actors Soslan: Dmitriy Matveyev
Atsamaz: Andrey Grinevich Agunda: Olga Golovanova
Saynag-Aldar: Yuriy Sarantsev Waig: V. Kovalkov
Waig's Mother: Venera Rakhimova Afsati: Aleksandr Lenkov
Alexander Bykov, N. Baronina, Yuriy Malyarov, L. Masharova,
Daniil Netrebin, Tatyana Rodionova, Boris Takarev
Narrator: Rudolf Pankov
Grandpa, look at my muscles...
I'm the strongest in my class!
You know what my gym teacher said?
He said "you're a worthy grandson of a Nart."
Grandpa, why did he call you a Nart?
Heh... no, my boy. I'm not a Nart.
The Narts lived here before you, or I, or my grandpa were born.
Only their songs and legends have survived.
They say that the ancient Alans compiled them.
Who compiled them?
The Alans. You know the "Alania" soccer team?
It was named in honor of the Alans... We Ossetians are their descendants.
- Will you tell me about them, grandpa? - The Alans?
No, the Narts.
All right. I'll tell you. You close your eyes, though.
Maybe you'll see them in your sleep.
Where the Narts came from, only God knows.
It is said they came from the bottom of the sea.
They were at one with all that surrounded them.
The cliffs and the trees, water and fire.
With the beasts of the forest and the birds of the sky.
The Narts were a proud, free people.
To die in battle for freedom, for truth...
was then in the Caucasus thought not a tragedy but a blessing.
The Narts submitted to no one; they even spoke to the gods as equals.
For them, the gods were like elder comrades.
And that is how the Narts called them: "our elders".
Every morning,
the son of the Sun rolled out the fiery disk from the night's edge.
The son of another god, Barduag,
plowed the clouds to bring people light and warmth.
Good morning, Wastirji!
So did the guardsmen greet their elder god.
May your day be successful... celestial Kurdalagon!
That is how the blacksmiths greeted their patron god.
Good luck to you, Watsilla.
The shepherds also had their elder.
Be healthy, Falvara!
May your strength never ebb, Tutar.
Tutar was the protector of wolves.
And here are the hunters.
O Afsati, send us luck.
And why not help the good people?
Here is Donbettyr, the sovereign of rivers and seas.
He was a merry, mischievous god.
Upon the Black Mountain lived the highly esteemed Nart, Sainag-Aldar.
And he had a beloved daughter, Agunda.
She was lovely, and good at everything she put her hand to...
but her character!
She was much too proud.
She refused to even look at any of the young Narts.
Hello, Agunda!
The problem was that Agunda thought
not one youth in the whole world was worthy of her love.
But herself she loved very much.
Very!
There lived in the settlement the young shepherd Atsamaz.
He had fallen in love with Agunda long ago.
But only his pipe knew of his love.
The pipe had been a gift from the god Afsati.
Good morning, Afsati!
Good health to you, Atsamaz.
Your gift has birthed such music within my soul!
Shall I play for you?
Shh.
No, it wasn't a love song that Afsati wanted from his favourite...
The time had come to hurry and fight for his love, not simply play his pipe.
Glorious Narts!
Would you like to know why I have called you here?
We do!
For years now, suitors have been visiting my home in vain.
The very best youths have asked for the hand of my daughter!
But the stubborn Agunda has refused them all.
My patience has ended.
If she doesn't want to choose herself, we'll do as ancient custom commands.
Let youths compete in the heroic games!
The best shot,
the most nimble,
the strongest, will receive my daughter as his wife.
So I have decided.
And the winner shall be chosen by our elders.
The best of the best gathered for the contest.
And each was ready to battle for the hand and heart of the beautiful Agunda.
Among them was the famed warrior Soslan.
He, of course, was sure that he would win.
Now then, suitors, whose arrow will hit the mark?
Come on, shepherd boy, show us what you can do...
Soslan.
I'm the best shot! Do you hear?
Atsamaz was unlucky that time.
But the contest for the most nimble was still ahead.
Atsamaz undertook to dance on the narrow rim of a golden chalice.
Good job Atsamaz - not a drop spilled from the chalice.
The Narts were pleased with the dance, and so were the gods.
The sun set,
darkness descended upon the earth,
but the contest went on.
It was Soslan's turn to demonstrate his skill.
Oh yes, that was a sight to behold!
Which fine man will receive Sainag-Aldar's daughter?
Soslan.
Soslan!
I! I have won!
But no, the competition for Agunda wasn't over yet.
Now the warriors were to measure their strength.
From time immemorial,
the Narts had considered this contest the most important.
I am the strongest!
Narts! No one in the world is as strong as I!
Whoever doubts it, let them battle me!
Hear that, Agunda?
I, Soslan, am the strongest in the world!
This displeased Agunda.
"If I marry him, I'll spend the rest of my days listening to him brag," she thought.
I am the strongest!
She decided to take the braggart at his word.
I'm the strongest! Me!
No, I am!
Bragging is unbecoming of a hero.
Yes, there is no one equal to you here.
But you still have to prove that you're the strongest in the whole world!
I'll cross the mountains and overpower anyone I meet on the way!
I swear it!
And how will we learn of your victories?
Let Atsamaz go with me, he won't allow me to lie.
Fair enough, let them go!
Let it be so! Is this what you wanted, Agunda?
Oh, father!
What was left for Atsamaz to do? Only to play his pipe.
Agunda.
How beautifully your pipe sings, Atsamaz...
Agunda...
Atsamaz...
It sang for you, Agunda...
Give me your pipe, and I'll be your wife, Atsamaz...
Agunda, I can't.
You can't?
It's a god's gift.
If you love me, give me the pipe!
How can you ask that, Agunda?
And Agunda regretted her capriciousness, but it was too late.
Hey, Atsamaz... you're looking the wrong way.
Let's be off... glorious deeds and valour await us!
That was the Narts' custom:
if called away to an expedition, you got on your horse and off you went.
And may you be alive and healthy on your journey!
Meanwhile, Agunga decided to gather up the pieces of the pipe.
Maybe its magical sounds would return her beloved to her?
Where the Narts' country ended, other peoples lived,
also proud and warlike.
There's a whole host of them, Soslan.
So let's make a count.
Soslan did just as he vowed to do.
He challenged all the warriors he met, no matter how many there might be!
And if ever he got into a scrape, Atsamaz hurried to his aid.
In battle, they completely forgot that they were rivals.
Hey, Atsamaz, maybe I'll find a worthy rival in the mountains?
There is no one in the world as strong as I!
Whoever doubts it, let them battle me!
Look, there is the Temple of Rekom.
From there, every mortal's request goes straight to the gods.
They say that a god shed a tear here in mourning for fallen Nart heroes.
We, too, should bring an offering to the gods.
I have no time to chase after deer now.
On the way back, I'll sacrifice a hundred deer to them,
Just let them send me a worthy opponent.
As yet, the gods have been of no help to me.
"I am the strongest!"
"Just let them send me a worthy opponent!"
"The gods have been of no help to me!"
Where are we?
Certainly nowhere good.
It was definitely a horrible place.
It was the home of the Waig giants.
Who's that tickling me, eh?
It is I, the Nart Soslan!
I challenge you to a fight. I am the strongest in the world!
Oh! Don't kill me, strong one! Spare me!
I'm my mother's only son...
But if you're so strong, won't you pull this splinter out of my foot?
You can't? Well then, strongest of all, go that way.
You'll find a worthy opponent there in the cave...
...my cute little humans...
In that cave, lived that Waig's very own mother.
Hey, who's fooling around over there?
I can't see you... I can't see you...
I, the Nart Soslan, challenge you to a...
Let me go, woman!
May this day bring you fortune, O flesh of my mother!
That's a good thing you said: "flesh of my mother."
If you hadn't said it, you both would've been...
But now you're my guests. May this day bring you fortune, as well.
I'm hungry! I'm hungry!
Mother! It's me!
- I'm hungry. I'm hungry. - ...let's keep quiet...
I'm hungry.
Well, are the "strongest" cooked yet?
Almost cooked, almost...
Just a little something to give it an edge...
I haven't eaten human flesh in ages.
Hey, Ma, it sure doesn't smell right. And you reek of Narts!
Come here, you...
Are you mad, sonny? Don't disrespect your mother!
Take that!
Aw, Ma... I was just kidding!
Now then, dear guests...
I'll blow upon you now, and you'll end up back home.
But remember, search not for Strength stronger than your own...
...but search for Good better than your own.
The Narts were glad to be heading home, but misfortune was right on their heels.
Look!
Cute little humans!
Wait!
Don't be hasty, gods.
Bring the pipe to Atsamaz, young lady.
Stand back.
Atsamaz... Atsamaz...
Get up, Atsamaz.
Agunda...
We're victorious!
O, what have you done, Soslan! You went away to seek your fame...
...and brought disaster to your people.
Woman...
How can I help?
What good is your strength now, Soslan?
Now what will happen?
Such was the power given by the gods to Atsamaz.
What fairy tale doesn't end with a wedding?
There will be a wedding in ours, too.
This is not a defeat, warrior. No...
I know.
There is a power stronger than my own.
And what is that power?
Love...
It was a feast to feed the world.
Those present were not only Narts, but all their neighbours too.
Grant us your presence at our table, elders!
Wastirji!
Afsati!
That's how it was long, long ago.
Or maybe it wasn't quite like that,
but that's how my grandpa told it to me...
...and how his grandpa told it to him.
Producers: From F.A.F. Entertainment: A. Guskov, S. Zernov
From AF-Centre: L. Gapuzova
Screenplay: L. Gapuzova Based on text by: V. Genkin
Dialogues: V. Frid, M. Tumelya Director-producer: M. Tumelya
Art director: D. Surinovich Camera director: A. Betev
Composers: Z. Pliyeva, Yu. Pryalkin Sound director: Ya. Pototskiy
Montage: L. Volokhova, I. Aksenenko
Animators: A. Lysyatova, S. Speranskiy, T. Yatsyna, M. Tumelya
Role of grandpa: A. Archegov Role of grandson: A. Dudiyev
Voice actors: Narrator: R. Pankov
Soslan: D. Matveyev Atsamaz: A. Grinevich
Agunda: O. Golovanova Saynag-Aldar: Yu. Sarantsev
Waig: V. Kovalkov Waig's Mother: V. Rakhimova Afsati: A. Lenkov
Also: A. Bykov, N. Voronina, Yu. Malyarov, L. Masharova,
T. Rodionova, D. Netrebin, B. Tokarev
Acting assistant: T. Vinogradova
Puppets and decor: T. Volkova, V. Shchegolkov,
T. Gorchakova, T. Yevmenova, Y. Zaytseva, N. Lebedeva,
D. Mashkov, L. Orlova, V. Podobed, Ye. Samsonova, S. Sviridovich, M. Strotsev
Rerecording sound director: Ye. Bazanov
Sound designers: A. Meychik, I. Kislova, N. Trofimchuk
Music recorded by studio "MMC"
Sound director: O. Klishin
Recording engineers: P. Sverchkov, V. Kupriyanov
Preparation of film negative: "Sirus" studio
Camera: E. Gimpel Negative montage: T. Kalmykova Color: B. Maslennikova
Film technician of "AF-Centre" studio: A. Silkin
Assistant operator: A. Navoychik Consultants: E. Kantemirov, T. Pliyev Script editor: V. Frid
Administrative group: from "AF-Centre": L. Gapuzova, L. Grabchikova
From F.A.F. Entertainment: Yu. Abrosimova, A. Shulayeva
Production director: G. Belinskaya
The film crew thanks: Administrative head of the right-bank region of North Ossetia-Alania: Taymuraz Mamsurov
Director of Beslan city's bread factory: Zelim Tskayev
Also, the citizens of Vladikavkaz city, Beslan city and Zamankul village, who aided the film's creation.
Special thanks to: House of Mikhail Gapuzov (Beslan city) House of Dzamurz Kastuyev (Zamankul village)
M. Aldashin, V. Golovanov, V. Kozonova, A. Kupriyanov,
Yu. Naniyev, N. Pliyev, A. Yankovskiy
Subtitles by Niffiwan (2025), correcting the earlier hard-subs