Svaty (; ) is a Ukrainian, Russian-language comedy series from the production company Kvartal 95 Studio. In total, seven seasons were created, along with the musical Novogodniye Svaty ("New Year's In-Laws"). Also, a television program called ("In-Laws at the Stove").
Premiere screenings of the series aired on the TV channels Russia-1 (Russia), ICTV (season 1), Inter (seasons 2–5), and 1+1 (seasons 6 and 7, Ukraine).
On 23 November 2017, featured actor Fyodor Dobronravov was banned from entering Ukraine for three years for publicly supporting the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea.СБУ заборонила в'їзд актору серіалу «Свати» Добронравову The series itself was banned for broadcast in Ukraine on 29 November 2017. In connection with the ban, the shooting of the seventh season was suspended. 1+1 filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Culture over the ban on Svaty. The court suspended the ban. On 17 May 2018, the District Administrative Court of the city of Kyiv held the first court session, which began consideration of the case of Svaty. On 27 March 2019, this court revoked the ban.The court abolished the ban on the TV series "Swat", Ukrayinska Pravda (27 March 2019)
In 2019, Svaty was criticised by the Experts' Commission of the Ukrainian State Film Agency (Derzhkino) for containing Ukrainophobic tropes and themes of "backwardness".
Franchise of films and serials Svaty
Svaty (2008) The young spouses Masha and Maxim Kovalev decide to go to Italy for a vacation and leave their five-year-old daughter Zhenya under the supervision of their parents, but they say they are too busy and refuse. As a result of confusion, both Masha's and Maxim's parents come to watch their granddaughter. Coming from absolutely opposite social sphere (Masha's parents – Valentina and Ivan Budko – are ordinary villagers, and Maxim's parents – Olga and Yuri Kovalyov – typical urban intellectuals with subtle manners), it turns out that they cannot stand each other. The four of them are in the same house, and they have a conflict of interests. Everyone has their own methods of upbringing. The battle for the attention of the granddaughter commences. The city-dwellers limit her in everything, and the rural couple allow many things. In-laws constantly fall into ridiculous situations, the way out of which they have to find together, which brings them closer. By the end, they nevertheless make peace with Zhenya's help.
Svaty 2 (2009) The story takes place on the eve of 8 March. Masha is in the last month of pregnancy. She and Maxim have a crisis in their relationship, and their six-year-old daughter Zhenya begins to interfere. The girl finds an original solution – she calls her grandparents. In-laws are rushing to the rescue. They try to reconcile their children, but everyone does it in their own way, as a result of which in-laws do not just quarrel with children, but also bring the family to the brink of divorce. Only the alliance of the in-laws can save their marriage. Masha gives birth to twins.
Svaty 3 (2009) Several months have passed since the events of the second part. Summer begins. Masha and Maxim leave for the Netherlands, and Zhenya is left in the village of Kuchugury under the supervision of Budko. The Kovalevs come to them to help look after their granddaughter and at the same time prepare her for entering a lyceum.
Since that moment, no less important character appears in the story – friend, cousin, neighbor and drinking buddy of Ivan Budko – Dmitry Bukhankin, who is called Mityai. In this season in-laws begin to get along. Together they have to lead a healthy lifestyle: do not drink, do not smoke and do not eat after 18:00. Ivan is fired from his job, but soon he returns to the bakery and becomes the manager of the garage.
Svaty 4 (2010) The action takes place one year after the events of the third season, and again in the summer. The in-laws leave for Turkey to visit their children and grandchildren. Zhenya's parents send her to the children's camp "Artek". The grandparents go to Crimea, not so much to rest as to take care of their beloved granddaughter Zhenya. Grandparents never learn to live without a granddaughter; it is difficult for them to get along with each other. By happy circumstance they get a house, which they turn into a hotel, to show their gratitude for finding temporary housing all the money they have earned to Masha and Maxim. Olga and Yuri try to hide from all their divorce, but soon everyone learns about it, including Olga's parents.
Novogodniye Svaty (2010) The main characters Ivan and Valentina decide to celebrate New Year modestly, without Christmas trees and festive delicacies, in the village of Kuchugury. Their city in-laws, Yuri and Olga Kovalev, arrive with their granddaughter Zhenya. Celebrities who are going to corporate parties nearby get stuck in the village because of heavy snowfall and drifts on the roads. The hotel does not have enough space, and the in-laws offer their services.
Svaty 5 (2011) Since the last events eight years have passed. The young Kovalevs – Maxim and Masha – all this time have lived in the Netherlands. But now they decide to return to their homeland. The grandparents (Yuri Kovalev died three years ago before the events of the film from a heart attack) look forward to meeting with their grandchildren, but none of them expected to see a cheerful, fervent and sweet little Zhenechka in a new goth style with a bunch of problems and conflicts. But this is only part of the trouble for the grandparents. After all, there are also twins – Nikita and Vika, who turn out to be so modern and prudent that the black clothes and "black" humor of their older sister will be insignificant in comparison with their antics. For the whole summer, the three grandchildren get into the society of the spouses Budko and Olga Kovaleva. Alexandr Berkovich tries to win Olga's heart, and over time he succeeds. Zhenya finds a girlfriend who steals her boyfriend. Valentina has learned to drive a car and organized a food business, which she runs together with Larisa and Evgeniy Zhuk.
Svaty 6 (2012) The story takes place six months after the events described in Svaty 5. In season 6, the plot covers almost the entire year, from March until the New Year. During this time in the life of the main characters a lot happens. The grandparents continue to re-educate the negligent twins and help solve problems to Genet. Olga Nikolaevna and Alexander Berkovich officially formulate their relations and marry. Ivan Budko takes up business, saves the country from bureaucracy, goes to work, is poisoned with mushrooms and celebrates an anniversary. Zhenya finishes school, goes to college to become a famous and meets her love of her life, an artist also named Zhenya. Zhenya's best friend and Alexander Berkovich's daughter, Katya Berkovich finds her true love Luaha and starts college along with Zhenya and starts off into many adventures. Nikita and Vika, Zhenya's younger twin siblings, start to become more mature but still causing mischief and having fun still. Larissa gives birth to a girl, and Mitya becomes a father for the third time (he already has two sons, an adult son Andrei from his first marriage, who lives separately, and a young Artem, their son and Larissa). The Budko family remains without a roof over their heads, and the mother-in-law goes to live at Bukhankin's. In-laws go to Euro-2012, a cruise along the Volga, a hike along the Carpathians, where they celebrate the New Year.
Svaty 7 (2021) The granddaughter Zhenya has grown up and is about to marry a British man (Jack), and the restless grandparents want to help her make the right choice. A vacation in Belarus will result in an international scandal, a harmless trip to Georgia will turn into a series of incredible events, and even a trip to the 19th century will become family troubles.
Production In 2008, a two-part TV movie Svaty was shot in Kyiv. The project was not originally intended to continue, but after its success on television, it was extended for the second season (which was also filmed in a telefilm format), and then for subsequent seasons (shot in mini-series).
Svaty 6 was to be the final season.«Сваты-6» станут последними 8 December 2012Анна Кошмал рассказала, будет ли продолжение «Сватов» // Комсомольская правда, 28 March 2013 However, later the creators of the series said that it was possible to continue the series until the seventh season.«Сваты-6»: седьмой сезон будет 25 сентября 2013 Shooting of Svaty 7 was to begin in 2014, but because of the political situation in Ukraine it was postponed.Фёдор Добронравов. Про Украину и Крым In May 2015, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the scenario of the seventh season had already been written, but the shooting was still postponed. One of the reasons for this was the disagreement within the film crew: Zelenskyy, like the whole studio "Kvartal-95", supported the Ukrainian government's side in the matter of the Crimea and the armed conflict in the Donbas, while Russian actors, including Tatyana Kravchenko (born in Donetsk) and Fyodor Dobronravov, adhere to other views.Война заставила Зеленского заморозить съёмки сериала «Сваты-7» 17 мая 2015Федор Добронравов: Из «Сватов» мы не уходили — сериал не закрыт! Komsomolskaya Pravda, 13 January 2016 In addition, Fyodor Dobronravov, Lyudmila Artemyeva and Nikolay Dobrynin were banned from entering Ukraine for their support of the Russian annexation of Crimea.Николай Добрынин: «Сватов-7» могут снять в Белоруссии" Комсомольская правда, 9 January 2017
As a result, in 2017 it was decided to shoot Svaty 7 in Belarus,Сериал «Сваты» меняет прописку 9 июля 2017Камера! Мотор! Или как в Залесье снимали сериал «Сваты» 12 июля 2017 as well as in Georgia. As of the end of 2017, the filming was suspended.
The premiere of the seventh season took place on 20 December 2021 on 1+1, and on 27 December, on the Russia-1 TV channel.
Spin-offs On 10 December 2011, the premiere of the documentary project Svaty: zhizn bez grima (Life Without Make-up) was broadcast by Inter TV channel.
In 2012, came off the spin-off series Svaty – Baiki Mityaya (Mitiai's Tales). The series consists of twenty series, united by a common plot. Mitya tells about the "true" cases from his life to the inhabitants of the village of Kuchugury.
In 2012, Ukrainian television broadcast a culinary program Matchmaker at the Stove. The leading ones are Valentina's grandmother (Tatyana Kravchenko), great-grandmother Lyudmila Stepanovna (Olga Aroseva), granddaughter Zhenya (Sofia Stetsenko), neighbor Larissa (Olesya Zheleznyak) and Mitiai (Nikolay Dobrynin).На «Интере» стартуют «Сваты у плиты» 14 March 2012
In 2016 the Kvartal 95 Studio released a cartoon Svatiki, which is an animated version of the selected moments from the series Svaty.
In 2019, the show of its own adaptation of Svaty began in Latvia as Radiņi (seriāls)
Also in 2019, the show of its own adaption of "Svaty" began in Lithuania as Uošvių nepasirinksi
Cast
Fyodor Dobronravov as Ivan Budko, Masha's father, husband of Valentina Petrovna; driver at the bakery, grandfather Zhenya, Vicki and Nikita (seasons 1–7, musical) Tatyana Kravchenko as Valentina Budko, mother of Masha, the wife of Ivan Stepanovich; junior technologist at the bakery, grandmother Zhenya, Vicki and Nikita (seasons 1–7, musical) Anatoly Vasilyev as Yuri Kovalev, Maxim's father, Olga's husband; professor of philosophy at the Berkovich Institute. Yuri Kovalev dies between the events of 4 and 5 seasons, grandfather of Zhenya, Vicki and Nikita (seasons 1–4, musical) Lyudmila Artemyeva as Olga Kovaleva (from the sixth season – Berkovich, born Koteeva), Maxim's mother, stepmother Katya Berkovich (seasons 5–6), in 1–4 seasons – Yuri's wife Anatolyevich, later – Alexander Berkovich; chief accountant of the Institute, grandmother Zhenya, Vicki and Nikita (seasons 1–7, musical)