Moscow is keen on superheroes

 The only thing we know for certain about Kolobok is that he is round. He is a fantastical character, the protagonist of a fairy tale, and whilst the Ukrainians say his name comes from the Ukrainian word kolo, meaning ‘circle’, the Russians maintain that it derives from the Russian term kolob, meaning ‘spherical dough’, and other languages also lay claim to the name’s origin. Kolobok is a very round loaf of bread created by the poorest of people, who knead it with their last ounce of strength and the very last ingredients left in the larder; but Kolobok wants to roll away, not be eaten, and the whole story is a tale of escape interspersed with songs, tricks and endings that vary from country to country, often unhappy ones. Kolobok has been reimagined in many variations and, most recently, a film was dedicated to it in Russia entitled "Kolobok, the Last Warrior", directed by Anton Maslov, in which the plump loaf is weary of the many mouths – human or animal – that seek to take a bite out of it and tries to become human. He has a mischievous face and a cheeky smile, but above all, the film was given priority in Russian cinemas over Destin Daniel Cretton’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”. To facilitate the release of the latest Kolobok film, Spider-Man was postponed, and whilst the rest of the world went to the cinemas to see the latest Spider-Man, Russia was forced to sit through the adventures of the loaf of bread. The reaction, writes Meduza, was turbulent. Russians, who tend to steer clear of protest, instead railed against the decision to impose "Kolobok, the Last Warrior" in place of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and, without even going to see it, began voicing their objections on social media, to which the director and actors responded with considerable indignation. Traditional Russian culture is not enough, and at the cinema, the most-watched films remain those from abroad. This reimagined fairy tale about the bread roll fails to spark curiosity, whilst there is anticipation for the American blockbuster that features a few seconds of Russia: in one scene, you can hear the song ‘Monopoliya’ by the dissident singer Monetochka.

The channels of communication between the West and Russia are becoming increasingly restricted; the Kremlin has pursued its plan for a sovereign internet precisely to erect an ideological wall and shield Russians from outside influences, but it has failed to shut everything down; nor has the patriotic fervour – which is now intertwined with every aspect of Russian life – dampened people’s curiosity to go to the cinema and watch the latest Marvel film alongside the rest of the world. Superheroes are strong, elusive, cunning and often tormented beings. They wear costumes that conceal or disguise their vulnerable humanity; they have missions and enemies. People dream of becoming superheroes because of that natural desire to be invincible – and, deep down, irreplaceable – something more than mere humans. A loaf of bread that dreams of humanity so as not to be devoured cannot replace Spider-Man.