Ева Султан
Bloodless bonds

In Studio 17, the entire film crew, from the lead actors to the set designers, was celebrating the end of the filming process. The celebration coincided with the birthday of the actor playing the lead role. He had turned fifty, and he was surprised to find that people were now referring to him as Yuri Borisovich instead of Yurasik. The screen star was not opposed to gaining a sense of maturity. Yuri had been in high demand for many years. His strong physique, fitness, and athleticism gave him an advantage. He could always count on playing the role of a hero who comes to the rescue, takes down the bad guys, and wins the love of the most beautiful girl. The scripts were similar, with only minor differences. Over the years, Yuri's co-stars became younger women. Working with him was a great starting point for young actresses.

Producers and studios, after analyzing the films with Yuri's participation, noticed a disappointing downward trend in box office receipts. Of course, he had female fans who still dreamed of him at night and considered him the most handsome of men, but they were already consumed by the routine of their own family life. Most of them had husbands and children, and some already had grandchildren.

Throughout the evening, they raised glasses to Yuri's health and made speeches in his honor. His colleagues wished him many years of creative life and new projects. Yuri accepted congratulations, not knowing that a turning point had come in his career.

It would be several months before the film was released in theaters. Usually, Yuri was busy filming in other projects or researching new offers and reading scripts. However, this time, Yuri Borisovich, who was 50 years old, was free. This freedom and overall lack of work were causing him concern. Yuri's agent reassured him, saying that the directors were involved in projects for young people and that they would invite Yuri as soon as they were available. About 20 years ago, Yuri replaced the main character in a film that was about to be released. Then he laughed at a colleague who was forty-five. When he found out that the role in the movie he had recently read had been given to a young actor, he realized that he was on the other side. The box office receipts for his movies could no longer compete with the profits that the studios were making from movies with young actors. This was a significant factor. It didn't matter that the scripts were weak, that the direction was flawed, or that the young actors were underperforming.

Without losing hope of continuing his career, Yuri Borisovich put his affairs in order and kept himself in shape. He had time to meet with his grown-up children and ex-wives. As a young and popular actor, Yurasik led an appropriate lifestyle. He was officially married four times. He couldn't say for sure how many affairs he had. He had three children that he was aware of. Perhaps the best thing he could do for his children was to be constantly absent and indifferent. All three were determined, independent, and principled. They didn't hold a grudge against their father, but none of them followed in his footsteps.

One day, there was a knock on Yuri Borisovich's door. A year ago, he would have ignored it, but now he was waiting for some kind of movement. Standing on the other side of the door was a very small girl. She was holding a red folder in her hands. She was wearing sneakers on her feet, which were almost covered by a long, floor-length skirt. Her top was an oversized gray sweater, with the sleeves folded almost in half. Her hair was pulled back in a bun, giving her a formal appearance. So are the large round glasses that cover almost half of your face and make your eyes look surprisingly large.

– Are you Yuri Borisovich? "What is it?" the girl asked.

"I'm not sure," the slightly offended popular actor, who was not recognized, decided to play the guest.

– How are you not sure?

– I'll clarify now. Today is Thursday. So I'm definitely Yuri Borisovich.

–Uh," the girl sighed with relief and walked into the apartment uninvited, kicking off her shoes at the threshold.

"Make yourself at home,– Yuri Borisovich said after her, closing the door, "don't be shy.

The girl went into the living room. She poured herself a glass of water from a large carafe and immediately drained it to the bottom. She sat on the sofa and waited for the landlord to sit next to her. Keeping a small distance, Yuri sat down on an armchair so that there was a coffee table between them. Seeing that the guest was distracted by the details of the interior, Yuri started the conversation first.:

– So which studio are you from?

– Not yet from which one. I brought you the script and I want you to read it.

"Well, you know, I'm kind of busy. I have now…

– Put everything aside. Read it. Come on, I'm waiting," the girl said imperiously, pushing a red folder across the table.

– OK. Good. I'll read it.

For about three hours, Yuri Borisovich read the work that captured him from the first lines. He forgot himself and didn't pay attention to the fact that he wasn't alone, or that someone was looming, walking from side to side, or that the main character didn't look like him at all. He vividly imagined the action and how it would look on the screen. It was only after reading the last lines that he was able to distract himself.

"That's great! Amazing! This is the first time I've seen something like this. Who is the author? Who is the screenwriter? I've never read anything like it. It's a movie script. Who's the director?

– Me.

– What do you mean, you?

– It means that I am the author, the screenwriter, and the director. I want you to star in my movie.

Yuri stood for several minutes and, without saying a word, peered at the person who had come to him. Then, as if coming to his senses, he replied:

"I can't. This your main character doesn't look like me at all. And then, I'm fifty, not twenty.

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