| Three By Russian Film Master
Andrei Tarkovsky
These films will screen at the Egyptian January 27-29, 2005.
A unique opportunity to revisit or discover one of the greatest
masters of European cinema, who, alongside Godard, Fellini and Bergman, encouraged a
personal and authorial approach to cinema as an art form. Andrei Tarkovsky (1932 –
1986) only directed seven features and two shorts that, nevertheless, profoundly
influenced and shaped not only Europe’s cinematic approach to topics such as religion
and human beliefs, but also helped Russia achieve aesthetic and cultural independence.
Visionary, talented, poetic, religious, metaphysical and overall incredibly technical,
Andrei Tarkovsky taught his own and future generations to utilize and approach cinematic
narrative through a variety of forms and manners; he revealed how to comment on modern
social and cultural conditions without directly talking about them and, most importantly,
without being artistically and politically mannerist.
Thursday, February 10 – 7:30 PM
THE MIRROR (ZERKALO), 1975, Kino
Int’l, 108 min. Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky. Director Andrei Tarkovsky’s
autobiographical approach to cinema finds voice here as he shows us the second great war
in Europe, the evacuation from Moscow and the separation of a couple, all things that the
filmmaker experienced himself, and, in 1974, was ready to share with the public. He
utilizes himself, his story, his reflection (in the mirror) to offer this nostalgic vision
of the world. Probably his most intimate film, it not only enables us to understand and
capture his vision of history, but also to understand the Russian master as a human being.
Starring Margarita Terekhova, Ignat Daniltsev, Larisa Tarkovskaya and Alla Demidova.
Friday, February 11 – 7:30 PM
SOLARIS, 1972, Kino Int’l, 167
min. Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky. . Based on the classic sci-fi novel by Stanislaw Lem, this is
probably director Andrei Tarkovsky’s best known film and far more than just a
science fiction epic. As in Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, Tarkovsky takes an
intellectual approach to metaphysical issues. Scientists try to understand the secrets of
the mysterious planet Solaris, but find themselves slowly becoming victims of their own
imaginations and secret desires. Russian authorities and film critics initially thought
that the public would find the film too difficult to understand, but in 1972 it won the
Special Jury prize at Cannes and eventually opened in the United States in 1976. However,
it wasn’t until 1989 that the film was released in America in its original 167 minute
running time. We are very proud to show that version tonight. Chris Landreth will appear
for an extended Q & A to discuss his groundbreaking animation technique and the
influence and importance of Ryan Larkin’s work. Starrig Donatas Banionis, Natalya
Bondarchuk, Juri Jarvet.
Sunday, February 13 – 5:00 PM
ANDREI RUBLEV, 1969, Kino
Int’l, 205 min. Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky. Inspired by the life and works of 15th
century poet and icon painter Andrei Rublev, director Andrei Tarkovsky utilizes the
fundamentals and morals of the religious orthodox to make a precise artistic statement:
the role of the creator in any given society has to be linked to society; an artist is
only a servant offering his talent to the community and God. With art, Rublev participates
in the sufferings of his people and gains a social and cultural conscience about his
nation. Tarkovsky described the role of the artist in his book Sculpting in Time
thus: "We cannot comprehend the totality of the Universe but the poetic image is
able to express that totality" The film incorporates the director’s most
fascinating cinematic maxims: flowing water (representing passing time), the awareness of
cinema as language and the importance of remaining independent and original in a time and
place where individual artistic approaches are banned. Starring Anatoli Solonitsyn, Ivan
Latpikov, Nikolai Grinko and Nicolai Sergeyev |
