Aleksandr Rou is widely remembered as the “Soviet Walt Disney,” a filmmaker whose fairy-tale movies became cultural touchstones across the Eastern Bloc. Specializing in magical adventures drawn from Russian folklore, Rou crafted films filled with enchanted forests, witches and heroes. His imaginative style, blending folkloric tradition with cinematic spectacle, made him one of the most successful directors in Soviet popular cinema. Beloved by children and adults alike, his works defined the