Russian Empire, 1919. By a twist of fate, young idealist Osip Zadunaisky meets an infamous con artist and self-proclaimed Turkish subject Ibrahim Bender. A man of pure thought and aristocratic upbringing, Osip would never have associated with a cunning and unscrupulous swindler, but Bender comes up with an offer Osip cannot refuse. A precious royal relic, a diamond-encrusted golden scepter is hidden somewhere in town; Bender needs a partner on his mission to find it, and offers Osip a share of the profit from selling the treasure. And so begins their joint venture, wrought with comical and dangerous twists and turns, where they have to outsmart and outmaneuver officers of the White Guard as well as the local mafia, who also have their eyes on the scepter. As their quest unfolds, Osip is compelled to learn Bender’s tricks of the trade: charming flattery, delicate deception, soft intimidation... as well as brute force.

Bender. The Beginning

Young Ostap and swindler Ibrahim Bender seek a golden rod concealed in one of three coffins, facing rivals. Ibrahim mentors Ostap in trickery. Ostap outshines his teacher, transforming into the famed Ostap Bender.

Bender: The Final Hustle

In the center of the plot is an exemplary husband and exemplary father Oleg. His life is measured and planned for years to come. But fate has its own plans: the young beauty daughter Alyona falls in love with the once best friend and peer of her father Anton, with whom they are united not just by friendship in the distant past, but by a stormy youth in all respects. So stormy that Oleg prefers to keep it a secret even from his family. As a loving father, Oleg is simply obliged to prevent the union of his only daughter with an immoral type, whose past makes him the worst candidate for son-in-law in the world. Anton continues to live that reckless life that both lived 30 years ago, but Alyona seems to like just such guys.