Sergey AlimovIn 1975 several sketches for an animated film of The Master and Margarita were created by Sergey Alimov, a well‑known Soviet graphic artist and animator (he is the one who drew Boniface’s Holiday, for example). He failed, however, to win Goskino’s backing for the project. Asked why, the artist answers simply: “Did you live under Soviet rule? Any more questions?”
Perhaps there are no more questions, but that makes it no easier. Animation—especially gifted animation—offers an ocean of possibilities for filming this novel that live‑action simply cannot match. So we must be content with admiring the sketches and mourning what might have been.
Behemoth waiting for the tram
The unlucky apartment
Ten‑ruble notes in the Variety Theater
Nude Margarita
The great ball at Satan’s
And another version
The murder of baron Meigel
Woland’s gang
Woland and Behemoth contemplating Moscow
Woland’s retinue leaving Moscow
Pontius Pilate
