Robert Eggers Reveals Ukrainian Film 'Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala' as Inspiration for 'Nosferatu'

The 1968 Ukrainian film ‘Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala,’ directed by Yuriy Illienko and based on Mykola Hohol’s short story, is among the films that influenced the for Robert Eggers' horror film ‘Nosferatu.’ Known for ‘The Lighthouse’ and ‘The Witch,’ Eggers is curating a selection of nine films for the Lincoln Center in New York that influenced his creative process, according to IndieWire on January 16.

“I am honored to share this collection of films that inspired my adaptation of ‘Nosferatu.’ It’s a world of Gothic romance, fairy tales, and folklore, made by filmmakers with a passion to transport the audience to another time, another place, and another way of thinking and believing,” Eggers said in a press statement.

‘Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala’ is based on a short story by Ukrainian writer Mykola Hohol, in which young peasant, Petro, falls in love with his landlord’s daughter, who loves him in return. However, her father refuses to let her marry a farmhand and finds her a wealthy suitor. In despair, Petro meets Basavriuk, a mysterious figure who offers him a terrifying deal to win her hand.

This was Yuriy Illienko’s second film as a director and marked his debut in theatrical release, as his previous work, 'A Well for the Thirsty' (1965), was banned by Soviet censors.

'Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala' is also one of the few Ukrainian films shot in widescreen format on 70mm film.

In addition to Illienko’s film, the selection includes 'Svengali' (1931) by Archie Mayo, 'Beauty and the Beast' (1946) by Jean Cocteau, 'Great Expectations' (1946) by David Lean, 'The Queen of Spades' (1949) by Thorold Dickinson, 'Andriesh' (1954) by Yakov Bazelyan and Sergei Parajanov, 'The Innocents' (1961) by Jack Clayton, and 'The Butterfly' (1973) by Đorđe Kadijević.

On November 12 2024, director of the Ukrainian movie ‘Dovbush’ Oles Sanin shared that 5 members of the film’s crew had been killed at the front lines of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and another 7 were missing in action.