{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox film |name = Bear's Kiss |image = |caption = Theatrical release poster |director = Sergei Bodrov |producer = |writer = Sergei Bodrov<br>Carolyn Cavallero<br>Terrence Malick (uncredited)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Tucker |first1=Thomas Deane |last2=Kendall |first2=Stuart |title=Terrence Malick: Film and Philosophy |date=12 May 2011 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA |isbn=978-1-4411-4027-2 |page=10 |language=en}}</ref> |narrator = |starring = Rebecka Liljeberg<br>Sergei Bodrov Jr.<br>Joachim Król |music = Gia Kancheli |cinematography = Xavier Pérez Grobet |editing = Mette Zeruneith |distributor = |released = {{Film date|2002|09|13|Italy|df=y}} |runtime = 101 minutes |country = Germany<br/>Sweden<br/>Russia<br/>Spain<br/>France<br/>Italy |language = English<br>Italian<br>Spanish<br>Russian |budget = |gross = }} '''''Bear's Kiss''''' is a 2002 dramatic fantasy romance film directed by Sergei Bodrov.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Young |first1=Deborah |title=Bear's Kiss |url=https://variety.com/2002/film/reviews/bear-s-kiss-1200546342/ |access-date=1 April 2024 |work=Variety |date=10 September 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Levit |first1=Donald |title=Hardly a Bare Tale |url=http://www.reeltalkreviews.com/browse/viewitem.asp?type=review&id=373 |access-date=1 April 2024 |work=ReelTalk Movie Reviews |date=12 January 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Кичин |first1=Валерий |title=Рецензия на фильм «Медвежий поцелуй» |url=https://www.film.ru/articles/tayga-lyudey |access-date=1 April 2024 |work=Rossiyskaya Gazeta}}</ref> It is based on an original script by Terrence Malick, who had previously attempted to fund the project multiple times.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Greco |first1=Federico |title=Sergei Bodrov - director of Bear's kiss - Interview |url=https://cineuropa.org/en/video/1276/ |access-date=1 April 2024 |work=Cineuropa |date=4 September 2002 |language=en}}</ref> A German, Swedish, Russian, Spanish, French, and Italian co-production, the film was entered into the main competition at the 59th Venice International Film Festival.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Clifford |first1=Laura |title=59th VENICE FILM FESTIVAL - 2002 September 4 |url=https://www.reelingreviews.com/venice9-04-02.htm#bearskiss |access-date=1 April 2024 |work=Reeling Reviews |date=4 September 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Nepoti |first1=Roberto |title=Dino e Sibilla missione impossibile |work=la Repubblica |date=5 September 2002 |page=48}}</ref>
The film has also been distributed under the titles ''Il bacio dell'orso'' (Italy), ''Le baiser de l'ours'' (France), ''Der Kuss des Bären'' (Germany), ''El beso del oso'' (Spain), and ''Медвежий поцелуй'' ("Medvezhiy potseluy") (Russia).
==Plot== A circus girl, Lola (Rebecca Liljeberg), raises a bear from cubhood. When she discovers that the bear, named Misha, can transform into a young man, a secret romance between the two ensues. Bodrov's son, Sergei Bodrov Jr., played Misha.
== Trivia == Swedish former actress Liljeberg stopped acting after her film ''Bear's Kiss'' and now works as a doctor after completing her residency at Södersjukhuset in Stockholm.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lämnade skådespeleriet efter succén – så lever Rebecka Liljeberg i dag |url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/8mX34E |access-date=5 May 2025 |website=Aftonbladet |date=15 June 2019 |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hon vågar satsa på osäker specialitet |url=https://www.dagensmedicin.se/alla-nyheter/nyheter/hon-vagar-satsa-pa-osaker-specialitet/ |access-date=5 May 2025 |website=www.dagensmedicin.se |language=sv}}</ref>
==Cast== * Rebecca Liljeberg as Lola * Sergei Bodrov Jr. as Micha * Joachim Król as Groppo * Keith Allen as Lou * Maurizio Donadoni as Marco * Anne-Marie Pisani as Margarita * Marcela Musso as Anna * Ariadna Gil as Carmen * Silvio Orlando as Ringmaster
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb title|0283915}} *{{Rotten Tomatoes}}
{{Sergei Bodrov}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2002 films Category:2002 drama films Category:2002 multilingual films Category:2002 romantic drama films Category:2000s romantic fantasy films Category:Italian fantasy films Category:Russian fantasy drama films Category:Romantic fantasy films Category:Russian multilingual films Category:German multilingual films Category:Italian multilingual films Category:Spanish multilingual films Category:Russian romantic drama films Category:Italian romantic drama films Category:Russian-language romantic drama films Category:Russian-language fantasy drama films