Peter's reforms, radical change, and defiant love: Okko and Channel One present historical saga “The Cathedral”

Multimedia service Okko, part of the Sber ecosystem, and Channel One present the premiere of "The Cathedral," an original series produced by the KIT Film Studio.

The multi-part historical drama directed by Sergey Ginzburg will be exclusively available in Full HD from November 4 without additional charges for Optimum, Premium and SberPrime subscriptions for all registered users of Okko in iOS, Android, and Smart TV applications, on Okko SmartBox, SberBox, and on okko.tv.

The historical saga "The Cathedral" is a large-scale adventure series and an incredible love story. Viewers will find themselves in the year 1700: a time of radical change in the Russian Empire. At the peak of Peter's reforms, society is changing dramatically: from denying God, to consciously believing and finding love, even when it is in defiance of everything.

"The Cathedral" stars Sergey Marin, Svetlana Ivanova, Aleksandr Baluev, Maksim Averin, Yuliya Snigir, Yuri Chursin, Yan Tsapnik, Aleksandr Ilyin Jr., Nikita Tarasov, and more.

Dzhanik Fayziev, executive producer, Okko multimedia service, "The Cathedral":

"'The Cathedral' is a large-scale historical drama covering the most vivid 25 years in the history of the formation of Russia: 1700 to 1725. During this period, the country and its attitude transformed several times: fashion changed, ways of life changed, the attitude toward people and the value of human life changed. During these 25 years, the characters in the series "The Cathedral" live through almost all the difficulties that ordinary people go through in a period of transformation, which I think is extremely relevant to us today. It was a time when people succumbed to temptation or didn't, made simple human mistakes, and made the hardest choices in life. The fates of several of the characters at the center of the story show all the human triumphs and drama that may occur during such periods of social upheaval."

Konstantin Ernst, executive producer, "The Cathedral":

"'The Cathedral' is a 12-episode series about Peter's reforms, the birth of St. Petersburg, and the glorious victory over Charles XII. Our goal was to combine a sweeping historical picture with the energy of a modern movie that I hope the viewer won't be able to tear their eyes away from. "The Cathedral" is both a great adventure from an era of great achievements and a story of ambition, patience, faith, and love told in a lively way."

Sergey Ginzburg, director, "The Cathedral":

"This is, in fact, an adventure TV show. It is a jaunty adventure series. The main story, the main intrigue is love. Unrequited love. When Ivan joins the Preobrazhensky Regiment, he serves for the sake of rank and the title of nobility, to be on par with the princess. Because of this, he rushes headlong into adventure and performs daring feats. It was also important for us to show the transformation of the country: how the tsar struggled with reforms, how the army gained combat effectiveness at the expense of the tsar's supporters, people such as Ivan. Peter rebuilds the country and the army, and new colors and new ways of life burst into our show. The changes in costumes and scenery will emphasize how our characters are transforming. This is a unique opportunity for the viewer to see the evolution of a vast country on screen."