Film Collector Guides
Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears: Film and Disc Guide
The short answer
Start with Mosfilm's title record and the Academy's award record, then verify the physical edition separately. English subtitles on an official online version do not prove that an imported disc includes them.
Last updated October 2026
What's covered4
Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears is the Vladimir Menshov film named Москва слезам не верит in Russian. A collector's first job is to match that work across translated titles. The next is to confirm that the disc provides the language support and playback format needed at home.
Film identity and year labels
Mosfilm's official catalog entry identifies Menshov as director and lists Vera Alentova, Irina Muravyova and Aleksey Batalov among the cast. Its story follows three young women who move to Moscow and remain connected through the years.
Mosfilm labels the film 1979, and its historical account of the studio uses that year too. Use the Russian title and director alongside the year when matching an edition, rather than relying on a translated title alone.
The Academy's 1981 ceremony record confirms the Foreign Language Film win for Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears, submitted by the Soviet Union. That ceremony year belongs to the award record, not a disc release date.
English and Russian collection labels
Mosfilm's catalog names the film Москва слезам не верит. Keep that title alongside Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears and Menshov's name in your collection notes. The Academy's English-language award record and Mosfilm's Russian-language catalog identify the same work through those titles.
Subtitles are the first edition check
Mosfilm's online record lists Russian and English subtitles, a runtime of 149 minutes, mono sound and a 2010 restoration year. These are facts about its catalog presentation. They do not certify the contents of a separately published DVD or Blu-ray.
For a physical copy, check the publisher's language table or rear cover. Ask whether English subtitles apply to the complete feature and whether they are selectable. A seller's phrase “English version” could mean subtitles or a dub; clarify which before ordering.
| Check | What to record for your copy |
|---|---|
| Main soundtrack | Language and mono or other format actually listed |
| Subtitles | Each named language, including English if required |
| Completeness | Full feature or all parts listed in the package |
| Transfer | Any restoration source expressly named by the disc publisher |
| Region | DVD number or Blu-ray letter, as applicable |
| Catalog identity | Publisher, country, barcode and release name |
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Our disc-edition comparison method helps keep these fields separate. A runtime difference deserves a question; it is not enough evidence on its own to declare a cut or missing scene.
Imports, playback and storage
Choose a disc only after comparing its region and format with the exact manual for your player. The disc-player guides cover hardware choices, and the DVD-player roundup is useful if the edition you find is DVD.
Retain the printed language information with the disc. If the package needs replacing, use our case comparisons and keep the original insert. The case and shelf tool works from measured dimensions, while the storage roundups help plan a larger collection.
A restoration credit belongs to the release that names it. Record the disc publisher's transfer details beside its barcode, and check the release schedule for new announcements. Confirm the edition with its publisher before treating an online film entry as a disc specification.