Martin Scorsese's 'lost film' Goncharov is actually a viral fake that was invented by fans

Chances are you've heard of Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver, Goodfellas and The Wolf of Wall Street – but now, attention has turned to Goncharov, which has suddenly become an internet favourite.

The "1973 movie" features the likes of Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Cybill Shepherd, and Harvey Keitel. And while Goncharov stars an impressive cast, there's just one slight issue – it doesn't actually exist.

It all started with a convincing poster and heaps of enthusiasm from Tumblr users. Despite first appearing online in 2020, Goncharov has since re-emerged and birthed a rather believable phenomenon.

The unofficial plot is described as follows: "Former discotheque owner Goncharov comes to Naples, Italy, after the fall of the Soviet Union and gets embroiled in the world of organized crime. He ends up crossing paths with Andrey, a banker.

"The two have a lot of sexual tension going on, to the point where many believe that all the deaths would be prevented if they just f**ked.

"Meanwhile, his unsatisfied wife, Katya, must come to terms with her father’s death as she becomes entangled with a mysterious woman named Sofia."

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Hilariously, people have been playing along online, with some posting about fake scenes and uploading meta-analyses of characters that are entirely fictional.

The platform has also been inundated with fan art and movie memes – and it wasn't long before Twitter jumped on the bandwagon too.

One user noted: "The Goncharov bit on Tumblr right now is one of the most insane things I ever seen. I have seen people create fake VSH tapes, fake books, fake soundtracks, fake academic essays, and now over 100 pieces of fan fiction".

Another joked that while Twitter was "burning down", "Tumblr is having a site-wide discussion and analysis of Martin Scorsese's groundbreaking mafia movie "Goncharov" (1973). Which does not exist."

Unfortunately, as it stands, Goncharov is one of the greatest movies never made.

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