Gogol. The Beginning

Set in 1829, the story follows young Nikolay Gogol, a Third Section clerk and frustrated aspiring writer tormented by self-doubt who literally burns his own pages in despair. When a string of gruesome, inexplicable murders erupts in a remote province, Gogol is pulled into an investigation that blurs the line between official duty and folk superstition. Haunted visions and uncanny occurrences force him to confront both external horrors and the demons of his own imagination.

The film blends gothic atmosphere, period detail, and Slavic folklore into a stylish, often eerie mystery, using shadowy visuals and tense set pieces to heighten the sense of dread. Anchored by a character-driven core—Gogol’s insecurity, curiosity, and gradual courage—the movie reimagines the writer as an unlikely sleuth, balancing psychological drama with supernatural thrills to create an origin tale that feels part literary fantasia, part haunted detective story.