'Gateway to Russia' launches a curated content hub of Russian books & films in English

‘Gateway to Russia’ has launched a new curated content hub that brings together Russian classic literature in English and movies with English subtitles. The selected titles are currently free to read and watch via the official sources we provide links to. We do not host or distribute the books or movies ourselves. Instead, we provide a single, clearly structured entry point with categorization, brief annotations and viewing/reading recommendations – so content that’s otherwise scattered online is easier to find in one place.

What can you read?

The books section presents iconic works by Russian classic writers from the 19th to early 20th centuries. These include ‘Eugene Onegin’ and ‘The Captain's Daughter’ by Alexander Pushkin, ‘Anna Karenina’ and ‘War and Peace’ by Leo Tolstoy, ‘The Idiot’ and ‘Crime and Punishment’ by Fyodor Dostoevsky, ‘The Lady with the Dog’ and ‘Three Sisters’ by Anton Chekhov.

The catalog also includes literature from the Soviet period, such as ‘The Twelve Chairs’ by Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov, ‘Mother’ by Maxim Gorky, ‘And Quiet Flows the Don’ by Mikhail Sholokhov and many other works.

A separate curated selection highlights books by Russian authors that have been adapted to the screen by Hollywood. For convenience, the works are divided by themes and genres. 

All book translations in this hub are provided by the Library for Foreign Literature (LFL). Reading is available through the library’s online reader; however downloads are not currently supported.

What can you watch?

Russian classics can be not only read, but also watched. Discover director Karen Shakhnazarov’s vision of ‘Anna Karenina’, a genuine horror movie based on Gogol's mystical novella ‘Viy’, love and treachery in ‘A Cruel Romance’, which is based on Ostrovsky's play ‘The Dowry’.

A separate list features legends of Soviet cinema, such as ‘Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears’, ‘The Diamond Arm’, ‘The Irony of Fate’, as well as movies that have participated in and won international competitions and festivals.

The catalog also includes movies shot in Russia from the 1920s to the present day. 

All films in this hub are available via Mosfilm’s official YouTube channel. ‘Gateway to Russia’ provides curated links and context; viewing takes place on YouTube. 

What’s next?

We will continue expanding the hub with new content and improved discovery features, including clearer categorization, exclusive editorial notes and helpful recommendations on what to read and watch next.

The section was launched in 2025 as part of the ‘Support and Promotion of the Russian Language Abroad’ state program, with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation.