Dmitry Pavlovich Sanin – a young Russian nobleman of property and almost without family ties who is traveling in Europe after coming upon a modest inheritance and before taking up an official position in Russia Gemma Roselli – the beautiful daughter of Leonora Roselli who was born and raised in Germany though still maintains her " clear , southern nature " ; at the novel 's outset she is engaged to Karl Klüber Pantaleone Cippatola – an old man and former opera singer and a regular at the Roselli household , where he occupies a position somewhere between family friend and servant ; in spite of his prolonged residence in Germany , he speaks little German Emilio Roselli , or Emil – younger , and only , brother of Gemma ; of weak constitution , he has romantic aspirations for the theatre but his mother wishes him to be set up as a merchant Leonora Roselli , or Frau Lenore – matriarch of the Roselli household ; originally from Parma , she is the widow of Giovanni Battista Roselli , an Italian from Vicenza , who settled in Frankfurt as a confectioner Giovanni Battista Roselli – the now deceased founder of Roselli 's Confectionary Shop who came – or fled – to Frankfurt from his native Italy ( presumably due to his involvement in revolutionary activity ) some twenty-five years before the main events of the story take place ; upon his death he left behind a widow , one daughter , and one son Karl Klüber – the young German fiancé of Gemma when the novel begins ; " decorous , dignified , and affable , " he nevertheless has the workaday air of an up-and-coming merchant Baron von Dönhof – a German officer who fights a duel with Sanin early in the novel and then crosses paths again with Sanin in Wiesbaden Herr Second Lieutenant von Richter – fellow officer of von Dönhof and his second in the duel with Sanin Hippolyte Sidorovich Polozov – an old schoolmate of Sanin 's and husband of Maria Nikolaevnka Polozov ; a phlegmatic and rather dull figure with a large appetite who is well-kept by his wife 's income and glad to do his wife 's bidding if only to be left alone Maria Nikolaevna Polozova – wealthy wife of Hippolyte Sydorovych Polozov ; a '' femme fatale '' who sets out to seduce Sanin A film based on the novel , written and directed by Jerzy Skolimowski , was released in 1989 . The film , which competed for the Golden Palm Award at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival , stars Timothy Hutton , Nastassja Kinski , and Valeria Golino . There had also been two Soviet and one Czechoslovak adaptations
1989 Cannes Film Festival
1989 Cannes Film Festival
Torrents of Spring