Shooting of a Russian film about Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852) has started in the Italian capital. It was in Rome where the great Russian writer created his famous Dead Souls.
      
      Nikolai Vasilievich arrived in Italy in 1837 and spent eight years in Rome.
      
      The biopic under the tentative title Nikolai Gogol: Mystery of Life and Death is timed to the 200th anniversary since the writer’s birthday and is another attempt to unfold the enigma of his life and creation.
      
      According to the film producer Gennadi Merkulov, this is going to be a documentary drama, however, not aiming at precise biographical narration.
      
      The director of the picture is the well-known documentary master Dmitry Demin. The film has been included into the cultural program of celebrating Gogol’s 200th birthday in Moscow and UNESCO, which has announced 2009 the writer’s year.
      
      Source: itar-tass.com