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The Irony of Fate

The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! (: Ирония судьбы, или С лёгким паром!) is a 1975 Soviet television film directed and co-written by , starring as Zhenya Lukashin, a physician who, after becoming intoxicated on , mistakenly travels to Leningrad and enters an apartment identical to his own, leading to an unexpected romance with its resident, played by Barbara Brylska. The film premiered in two parts on Soviet Central Television's Programme One on January 1, 1976, at 18:00, drawing an estimated audience of over 100 million viewers and establishing itself as a cultural phenomenon due to its satirical take on the uniformity of Soviet urban architecture and housing. Produced by , the movie features a including Yury Yakovlev and features original songs by Mikhail Zakharov with lyrics by Leonid Derbenyov, which have become enduring hits in Russian . The plot revolves around themes of fate, coincidence, and human connection amid the banalities of Soviet life, exemplified by the interchangeable street names and apartment layouts between Moscow's Cheryomushki district and Leningrad, highlighting the era's mass-produced buildings. Despite subtle critiques of bureaucratic stagnation, the film received official approval and has been rebroadcast annually on across and former Soviet republics, fostering a tradition that transcends political changes and unites generations. Its legacy includes spawning a 2007 sequel, , and inspiring adaptations, such as a planned remake, underscoring its status as one of the most viewed Soviet films and a symbol of nostalgic communal viewing in post-Soviet society. The film's enduring appeal lies in its blend of humor, romance, and mild , which resonated during the Brezhnev-era "stagnation" and continues to draw audiences for its relatable portrayal of over ideological .

Production

Development and Pre-Production

The concept for The Irony of Fate drew from real-life anecdotes encountered by director and screenwriter Braginsky, including stories of revelers, often inebriated during bathhouse gatherings, being erroneously transported to distant cities like Leningrad due to interchangeable Soviet addresses and standardized khrushchevka housing blocks. These tales initially manifested in a 1969 skit for the television program Diskoteka 50-kh, which Ryazanov and Braginsky expanded into a satirical stage play, S legkim parom! (or related variants such as Passazhir, kotoryy vse vremya padal s polki), staged in over 110 theaters across the USSR from 1970 to 1973 before facing localized bans over simulated accidents that mirrored real mishaps. By 1974, amid the Brezhnev stagnation period's allowance for veiled comedic critiques of bureaucratic uniformity and personal alienation, the duo adapted the play into a screenplay for a two-part , incorporating airplane travel, romantic tension, and interpersonal dynamics to underscore themes of fate, loneliness, and authentic connection in Soviet daily life. Gaining official sanction posed hurdles in the mid-1970s Soviet apparatus, where Goskino and cultural overseers flagged the script's prominent alcohol-fueled absurdities and implicit mockery of as potentially subversive, requiring Ryazanov to append an on-screen preamble defending its emphasis on genuine human emotions over superficial rituals. Rebuffed by for theatrical release, production pivoted to Central Television through inter-committee rivalries, though budgetary limits strained elements like aerial shots—ultimately substituted with animation—and expenses for non-Soviet performers. Braginsky even sought temporary credit removal amid revisions, reflecting the script's iterative refinements to balance humor with ideological palatability. Pre-production casting entailed rigorous trials, with Ryazanov auditioning Andrei Mironov and Stanislav Lyubshin before settling on as Zhenya for his nuanced portrayal of affable ineptitude, drawn from prior collaborations. Polish actress Barbara Brylska secured the role of Nadya after Ryazanov reviewed her in , her lines dubbed by and songs by to align with Soviet norms; Yuri Yakovlev assumed Ippolit in March 1975 following Oleg Basilashvili's withdrawal due to personal tragedy. Location work involved scouting comparable districts in and Leningrad to underscore architectural homogeneity, with interiors reconstructed on sets for controlled flexibility; began in late September 1974 and extended into early 1975.

Filming and Technical Aspects

The film was produced at studios in 1975, with spanning interiors and sets constructed to replicate standard Soviet-era apartments. Location shooting occurred in Moscow's Cheremushki district for urban residential scenes and in Leningrad (present-day St. Petersburg) at sites including the Moika Canal, Neva River, and Nevsky Prospekt, underscoring the uniformity of khrushchevka-style housing blocks across cities central to the narrative's premise. Winter exteriors were filmed during spring due to scheduling, requiring practical simulations: snowdrifts fashioned from and , while blizzards were generated using industrial fans dispersing flakes. Comedic sequences depicting relied on unenhanced actor performances and simple props, eschewing elaborate in favor of and timing, consistent with the era's resource-efficient Soviet norms. Cinematographer Vladimir Nakhabtsev handled visuals, utilizing controlled interior to convey authentic domestic coziness and spatial confinement, which amplified the 's focus on interpersonal dynamics within confined, interchangeable living spaces. As a state-commissioned project for Central Television, the production operated under Goskino oversight with standardized funding and timelines, enabling completion from script approval to final edit within the calendar year despite material shortages common in the Soviet sector.

Plot Summary

The plot of The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! follows Yevgeniy "Zhenya" Lukashin, a living with his in Leningrad. On December 31, 1975, Zhenya participates in the annual banya ritual with his friends, resulting in heavy intoxication. His friends, aiming to ensure his safe return home, transport him to the airport, where he inadvertently boards a flight to rather than remaining in Leningrad. In , Zhenya, disoriented from alcohol, secures a and provides his Leningrad home address on Prospekt . Soviet standardized replicates the building, layout, and even door locks across cities, directing him to Nadezhda "Nadya" Sheveleva's identical . Nadya, an allergist, is readying for a New Year's with her arrogant fiancé, Ippolit Romanovich. Zhenya enters using his keys, which match the universal design, and adamantly claims ownership, igniting disputes and revelations about their . Nadya enlists Ippolit's aid, who arrives dismissive of the intrusion. Concurrently, Zhenya's fiancée, Galina "Galya" Fyodorova, anxious over his disappearance, journeys from Leningrad to . Cross-cutting phone exchanges expose relational strains for both protagonists. Amid New Year's toasts, poignant songs, and midnight fireworks, Zhenya and bond over shared vulnerabilities, fostering romance. They ultimately reject Ippolit and Galya, affirming their connection as fate's ironic intervention.

Cast and Performances

The principal roles in The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! (1975) are played by as Yevgeny "Zhenya" Lukashin, a surgeon who becomes inadvertently drunk and boards the wrong flight on ; Barbara Brylska as Nadezhda "Nadya" Shevelyova, a Leningrad schoolteacher whose apartment Zhenya enters by mistake; and Yuriy Yakovlev as Ippolit Romanov, Nadya's pretentious fiancé. Supporting cast includes as Zhenya's friend Pavel, Georgi Burkov as fellow friend Misha, as Ippolit's eccentric companion Tamila, Olga Naumenko as Zhenya's fiancée Galya, and Lyubov Dobrzhanskaya as Zhenya's mother. Myagkov's portrayal of Zhenya exemplifies the of the indecisive Soviet , blending , humor, and quiet in a manner that propelled him to national prominence and resonated with audiences for its authenticity. Brylska, cast by director despite her nationality—which provoked initial among Soviet officials for bypassing local actresses—delivers a poised and sympathetic , her on-screen presence enhanced by voice dubbing from to align with Russian phonetics. Yakovlev's Ippolit provides sharp comedic relief through exaggerated pomposity, satirizing bourgeois affectations in a Soviet context, while the ensemble's chemistry underscores the film's blend of and . These performances, grounded in naturalistic delivery amid the story's absurd premise, contributed to the film's critical and popular success upon its New Year's Eve premiere on December 31, 1975.

Music and Soundtrack

The musical score for The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! was composed by , a Soviet composer known for his work in film music. Tariverdiev's contributions blend orchestral elements with lyrical songs that advance the narrative and evoke emotional depth, featuring motifs of melancholy, romance, and festive anticipation central to the film's setting. The score was partially released on Tariverdiev's LP by the Soviet label Melodiya in 1976, with a complete edition issued in 2009 by Bomba Music, encompassing 17 tracks including the and cues like "" and "Expectation of the New Year." Key songs integrate poetry by Russian authors such as and , set to Tariverdiev's melodies. Notable performances include singing "Мне нравится, что вы больны не мной" (I Like That You Are Not Sick with Me), based on a poem by Faina Gelena, which underscores the protagonist's budding romance, and "У зеркала" (At the Mirror). Sergei Nikitin performs "Со мною вот что происходит" (Something Is Happening to Me) and "Никого не будет в доме" (No One Will Be in the House), the latter drawing from Tsvetaeva's lyrics to highlight themes of and . These vocal pieces, recorded in 1975, became enduring hits in Soviet and post-Soviet culture, often replayed during annual holiday broadcasts.

Release and Initial Reception

Broadcast and Viewership

The film premiered on Soviet Central Television's Programme One on January 1, 1976, at 18:00 Moscow time, aired in two consecutive episodes totaling approximately three hours. This New Year's Day slot aligned with the story's setting, drawing an estimated 100 million viewers nationwide, a figure reflecting high television penetration in urban areas and the limited programming alternatives under state monopoly. A follow-up broadcast on February 7, 1976, further boosted immediate exposure, with cumulative viewership for these early airings reaching about 150 million. State records and audience surveys indicated the film's dominance, as it outperformed concurrent holiday specials and variety shows, evidenced by its selection as the top film of 1976 in a reader poll by the magazine Sovetsky Ekran, which gauged public preferences through widespread subscriptions. Repeat telecasts on subsequent New Year's Eves, beginning later in , rapidly entrenched the pattern, amassing over 250 million total viewers by per Gosteleradio estimates, underscoring its eclipse of rival content in prime-time slots. The broadcasts extended to nations shortly after the Soviet debut, via inter-state media exchanges, though specific metrics there remain less documented than domestic figures.

Critical Response in the Soviet Era

Soviet critics praised Eldar Ryazanov's direction in The Irony of Fate for adeptly merging light-hearted with deeper humanistic themes, enabling to subtly critique bureaucratic absurdities like the interchangeable nature of Soviet housing blocks while maintaining an overall affirmative tone. This approach allowed the —epitomized in the opening animated sequence mocking urban —to evade stringent , as the narrative resolved in romantic harmony and communal warmth rather than overt dissent. Official Soviet publications, including those aligned with state ideology, highlighted the film's endorsement of interpersonal bonds and New Year's optimism, framing it as a wholesome celebration of Soviet life's everyday joys and downplaying any ironic edges on administrative conformity. In a 1976 reader poll conducted by the magazine Sovetsky Ekran, the film was selected as the year's top production by a significant majority, reflecting broad critical and public endorsement within the constraints of the era's oversight. Certain reviewers offered a more tempered assessment, faulting the storyline's progression on contrived happenstances—such as the protagonist's drunken flight to Leningrad—as an overreliance on contrivance that occasionally undermined dramatic credibility, though this did not detract from its accessible appeal as a television feature.

Cultural and Social Impact

Role in Soviet Society

In the Brezhnev era of stagnation, characterized by economic slowdown and social inertia from the early 1970s onward, The Irony of Fate served as a cultural artifact that bolstered collective morale through its portrayal of New Year's Eve as a unifying ritual, emphasizing communal bonds amid widespread urban standardization. First broadcast on Soviet Central Television on January 1, 1976, the film depicted traditional practices like group toasts, shared feasts, and banya visits—elements rooted in Soviet collectivism—as sources of spontaneous connection, resonating with audiences facing routine drudgery by framing holiday chaos as redemptive rather than disruptive. State-approved media outlets, including the journal Soviet Screen, reflected its societal function through annual popularity contests where the film overwhelmingly topped reader votes by wide margins, signaling official endorsement of its role in fostering a of shared festivity and emotional release without inciting . Empirical indicators of impact included its appeal to the expanding urban , evidenced by sustained high engagement in polls and discussions, which helped sustain ideological cohesion by idealizing interpersonal harmony in identical khrushchevki apartments—vast, interchangeable blocks housing over 100 million citizens by the mid-1970s. While providing heartwarming that humanized bureaucratic uniformity—such as the protagonist's mistaken entry into a Leningrad flat mirroring his one, underscoring interchangeability without explicit critique—the film subtly nodded to systemic absurdities like interchangeable urban layouts, yet resolved them romantically to affirm rather than undermine collectivist norms. This approach offered pros in morale-building through relatable humor on alcohol-fueled mishaps, but cons lay in its romanticization of such disorder, glossing over real shortages of consumer goods and quality issues prevalent in the , thereby prioritizing ideological harmony over unflinching realism.

Post-Soviet Endurance and Tradition

Following the in 1991, The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! has maintained its position as a television staple across and former Soviet republics, including , , and , where annual broadcasts preserve a originating in the Soviet era. continues to air the film on December 31 each year, consistently drawing large audiences that reflect its embedded role in holiday viewing habits. The film's endurance stems partly from a profound factor, often linked to personal memories of Soviet childhoods, as articulated by viewers who associate it with familial traditions predating the USSR's collapse. This appeal persists even among Kremlin critics, with the 2024 New York Times reporting its viewing in households increasingly skeptical of and culture, particularly after the 2014 annexation of and the 2022 invasion of , highlighting the movie's transcendence of contemporary political tensions. Access to digital platforms has amplified its reach among the Russian-speaking worldwide, where full versions on and streaming services like Smotrim accumulate millions of views across uploads, enabling remote participation in the tradition. Depictions of everyday Soviet —such as identical khrushchevka apartment blocks and communal banyas—have indirectly boosted , with the film referenced in guides to bathhouse experiences and film location walks that emphasize the uniformity of central to its plot.

Political Controversies and Bans

In , efforts to restrict screenings of The Irony of Fate intensified following the 2014 annexation of , aligning with decommunization laws enacted on May 16, , which prohibited communist symbols and while mandating the removal of Soviet-era monuments and renaming of places. The film faced scrutiny partly because actress Barbara Brylska, who portrayed , publicly endorsed Russia's actions in , resulting in her personal entry ban to in December ; this prompted the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting to review the movie's broadcast status, leading to temporary halts on major channels amid public debates over its status as Soviet versus potential . Although regulators initially clarified in late that no outright nationwide prohibition existed, subsequent calls for bans persisted, with a 2020 appellate court upholding restrictions on screenings by channels like , effectively limiting its New Year's tradition in the country and reflecting broader post-Euromaidan tensions in formation. Russian responses have positioned as apolitical emblematic of shared post-Soviet traditions, with and cultural commentators emphasizing its enduring appeal as a lighthearted unbound by , despite its origins in a state-commissioned production aired on central television. Critics, including officials and analysts, counter that such perpetuates authoritarian continuity by normalizing Soviet uniformity and collectivist norms, evidenced by the film's depiction of interchangeable urban landscapes and reliance on chance over personal initiative, which some interpret as subtly endorsing inherent in centralized planning failures. This divide highlights ideological clashes: proponents of unrestricted viewership, often aligned with conservative viewpoints, highlight the film's satirical undertones critiquing bureaucratic monotony as a of collectivist shortcomings rather than endorsement, while detractors cite its state-approved messaging during the Brezhnev era as insufficiently detached from apparatus. No widespread international bans have occurred, though the film's alcohol-centric plot—featuring heavy drinking as a catalyst for events—has drawn minor critiques in anti-alcohol campaigns, such as Gorbachev's dry law era, where edited versions omitted scenes to comply with temporary broadcast guidelines. Debates on persist, with some observers arguing the narrative's through ironic undermines , potentially reinforcing passive acceptance of systemic absurdities over proactive , though defenders maintain this as wry commentary on lived Soviet realities rather than prescriptive .

Themes and Analysis

Satire on Soviet Uniformity and Bureaucracy

The film's central exemplifies satire on Soviet architectural uniformity by depicting Zhenya Lukashin's drunken misadventure, where a apartment key unlocks an identical door in Leningrad, underscoring the interchangeability of mass-produced housing units across vast distances. This absurdity stems from the standardization of locks, layouts, and furnishings in Khrushchev-era khrushchevki, low-rise panel blocks constructed en masse from 1957 onward to address postwar overcrowding, with over 13,000 such buildings erected in the initial push alone. An opening animated sequence further lampoons bureaucratic in , portraying architects' innovative designs—such as ornate imperial facades—systematically rejected and reduced to generic "standard Soviet boxes" by faceless officials prioritizing industrial over aesthetic or functional variety. This reflects the causal prioritization of quantifiable in socialist design, where modular panel construction enabled rapid scaling to house tens of millions but engendered empirical flaws like thin walls, cramped 4–6 square meter kitchens, and uniform exteriors that blurred city distinctions and fostered resident disorientation. In contrast to market-driven housing, which incentivizes differentiation to meet diverse preferences, Soviet uniformity alienated inhabitants by subordinating human-scale needs to centralized quotas, manifesting in real-world navigation errors amid identical mikroraiony districts. While the exposed these inefficiencies—such as the failure of standardized blocks to support intended "social condenser" ideals of communal harmony, instead amplifying private intrusions like corridor —it prompted subtle awareness that contributed to incremental reforms, including larger brezhnevki apartments in the with improved insulation. However, critics note the film's comedic framing dilutes a fuller , as the uniformity-driven chaos resolves harmoniously without challenging the systemic drivers of such planning failures.

Romantic and Human Elements

In the film, the romance between protagonist Zhenya Lukashin and Barsova originates from a serendipitous error: on , , Zhenya, heavily intoxicated after a traditional New Year's bath with friends in Leningrad, boards a flight to and enters Nadya's apartment, which mirrors his own due to standardized . Their encounter begins with conflict—Nadya initially ejects the intruder—but progresses to intimate dialogue as Zhenya sobers slightly, disclosing his emotional turmoil from a recent and professional pressures, while Nadya reveals her guardedness stemming from prior romantic disappointments and familial expectations. This exchange fosters mutual empathy, culminating in physical and by dawn, portraying a connection grounded in raw vulnerability rather than premeditation. Psychological research supports the authenticity of such alcohol-fueled candor, as depresses the , diminishing impulse control and enabling expression of typically suppressed thoughts, which can simulate deeper in constrained settings. However, this often yields regrettable outcomes; Nadya's morning-after and Zhenya's hazy recollection illustrate how diminished inhibitions prioritize immediate emotional release over considered judgment, aligning with findings that intoxicated interactions heighten post-event due to impaired foresight. The film's depiction balances this by showing the pair's bond enduring beyond the haze, as subsequent sober meetings affirm initial revelations as precursors to deliberate affection, emphasizing human agency in validating chance sparks. In the Soviet context of the , where acute housing shortages—exacerbated by post-war and inefficient allocation—forced young adults into communal living or prolonged with parents, private spaces were scarce, rendering serendipitous home encounters a plausible, if idealized, avenue for connection. Official norms discouraged premarital , prioritizing for accessing state queues that could span years, yet the film's narrative underscores serendipity's appeal in a limiting proactive logistics, while subtly critiquing overreliance on fate by highlighting characters' active choices to pursue the amid practical barriers. This tempers romantic optimism with the causal weight of personal responsibility, as unchecked impulsivity risks compounding life's ironies rather than resolving them.

Critiques of Collectivism vs. Individualism

In the film, the protagonists' predicament arises from the Soviet system's architectural uniformity, where mass-produced Khrushchevka apartments in Moscow and Leningrad are nearly indistinguishable, symbolizing collectivism's prioritization of standardized group housing over personalized living spaces. This interchangeability enables Zhenya Lukashin's accidental relocation and intrusion into Nadya Barsova's home, underscoring how state-enforced conformity erodes individual markers of identity and autonomy. The narrative critiques this as not benign communal efficiency but a rigid framework that generates personal chaos, as identical layouts and furnishings render private domains fungible. The friends' interventions exemplify collectivist pressure, as Zhenya's group enforces a ritualistic of communal and relocation to Leningrad, overriding his and intent to stay home. This group dynamic propels the irony, portraying peer-enforced norms as disruptive to personal agency rather than supportive bonds. In contrast, Zhenya and Nadya's evolving romance asserts , as they defy initial —Nadya's eviction attempts and Zhenya's disorientation—to pursue mutual connection based on personal chemistry, not prescribed social roles. Such choices highlight causal outcomes driven by decisions amid systemic constraints, rather than deterministic collective fate. Post-Soviet developments provide empirical validation of the film's implicit rejection of collectivist uniformity. Following the 1991 dissolution of the USSR, implemented rapid , transferring over 70% of state enterprises to private hands by 1994, fostering a surge in that correlated with economic away from centralized . The number of registered small private enterprises in Russian regions expanded significantly in the , with data from 70 regions showing heightened activity in areas with pre-existing informal networks, indicating a societal toward individual initiative over group dependency. rates further reflect this shift, with approximately 4-5 million Russians departing between 1991 and 2016, often citing pursuit of personal economic opportunities abroad as a primary driver, rejecting the stifling uniformity of Soviet-era life. These trends— enabling self-directed wealth creation and mass outflows for individualized prospects—demonstrate how collectivism's absurdities, like interchangeable existences, prompted a causal embrace of personal agency, yielding measurable gains in private sector dynamism absent under prior regimes.

Adaptations and Remakes

Official Sequel

The Irony of Fate: Continuation (also known as ), released on December 28, 2007, serves as a direct sequel to the 1975 Soviet film, directed by and written by Aleksey Slapovsky and . The story advances 30 years into the post-Soviet era, centering on the adult children of the original protagonists, Zhenya and —played by returning actors and Barbara Brylska—who find themselves entangled in a parallel romantic mishap amid celebrations in . Set in contemporary , the incorporates elements of and urban transformation absent in , such as modern and developments, reflecting Russia's economic shifts after the Soviet . Unlike the 1975 film's focus on serendipitous coincidence driving the plot, the continuation introduces deliberate by secondary characters, reducing the role of pure "irony of fate" while amplifying action sequences and chases through the city. The film achieved significant commercial success, grossing approximately $55 million worldwide, with over $50 million from the Russian market alone, setting a domestic box office record at the time and capitalizing on nostalgia for the original during New Year's viewings. Critically, it received mixed responses, praised for reuniting the iconic leads and updating the narrative for a new generation but faulted for lacking the original's subtle satire on uniformity, instead favoring bombastic action and overt romance that some reviewers described as diluting the philosophical depth. Audience feedback often highlighted repetitive scene recreations from the predecessor, contributing to perceptions of it as a commercial extension rather than a nuanced continuation.

International Remakes

About Fate (2022), directed by Marius Vaysberg and starring as Margot and as Griffin, serves as the primary international remake of The Irony of Fate. The film relocates the story to the , preserving the central premise of a drunken mishap leading a man—here, Griffin—to the apartment of a stranger, Margot, in a city with phonetically similar neighborhood and street names that enable the confusion. Unlike the original's emphasis on Soviet urban uniformity, the remake substitutes developments for the standardized Khrushchyovka blocks, adapting the irony to a capitalist context of suburban sprawl. This version maintains motifs like holiday revelry and serendipitous romance but omits the bathhouse sequence integral to the Soviet film's plot, replacing it with a focus on personal redemption arcs amid modern dating woes. Critics noted a dilution of the original's satirical edge on bureaucratic , as the U.S. setting lacks the systemic uniformity that amplified the protagonist's disorientation; instead, the humor leans on individual neuroses rather than collective absurdity. observers often critiqued it as a loose that fails to capture the cultural specificity, with some viewing it more as an inspired-by tale than a faithful . Commercially, underperformed, earning limited box office returns and mixed reviews, with an IMDb rating of 6.4/10 from over 14,000 users, reflecting subdued appeal outside niche audiences compared to the original's enduring regional in post-Soviet spaces. No other verified full-length international remakes exist, though allegations of uncredited influence surfaced regarding the 2015 Bollywood I Love NY, which features a similar plot of on New Year's but was not officially acknowledged as an adaptation by its creators.

Proposed Adaptations

Reports in late 2021 suggested Netflix planned to release an American remake of The Irony of Fate titled About Fate on December 31, positioning it as a New Year's streaming event. However, no such premiere took place on the platform, with the project instead securing theatrical distribution through Vertical Entertainment and a November 8, 2022, release starring Emma Roberts and Thomas Mann. This outcome indicates stalled negotiations or a shift in distribution strategy for Netflix's involvement. The film's cultural embeddedness in Soviet-era standardized housing and holiday rituals presents adaptation challenges for Western platforms, where the satirical edge on bureaucratic uniformity risks dilution to emphasize romance over systemic critique. As of October 2025, no further progress or new announcements for a Netflix or similar streaming remake have emerged, despite ongoing interest in universalizing the story's themes of serendipity and human connection. Such projects could potentially extend the narrative's commentary by contrasting collectivist conformity with market-driven individualism, though no concrete plans verify this direction.

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