Window on Russia

3rd Russian Film Festival Academia Rossica is proud to present 10 UK premieres of award-winning Russian films produced in 2008-2009. All films with English subtitles. Programme director: Andrey Plakhov, President of FIPRESCI. The festival opens on 30 October with a new adaptation of Anna Karenina by one of Russia’s most defiant film directors, Sergei Soloviev. The film took 14 years to make and it is part of Soloviev’s trilogy ASSA (1987) – ASSA-2 (2009) – Anna Karenina (2009). Harking back to a lost Russia, three more adaptations are featured in this year’s programme: Ward №6 by Karen Shakhnazarov, based on Chekhov’s story The Event by Andrei Eshpay, based on Nabokov’s play Pete on the Way to Heaven by Nikolay Dostal, based on Mikhail Kuraev’s short story This nostalgia is balanced by work representing Russia’s new wave of filmmakers: Tale about Darkness by Nikolay Khomeriki – everyday life of the Russian police Paper Soldier by Alexei German Jnr – about Yury Gagarin’s flight to space Russia 88 by Pavel Bardin examining neo-fascism in today’s Russia First Squad – animation film about pioneers fighting against fascists during the World War II. Kira Muratova, the legendary Russian-Ukrainian film director, will present her new award-winning film Melody for a Street Organ on the day of her 75th birthday, 5 November. We are very proud to host and celebrate Muratova on that day in London, at the Russian Film Festival. Documentaries Award-winning documentary maker Vitaly Mansky will present his film Sunrise/Sunset, a unique and fascinating profile of the Dalai Lama. Alongside this, we present six films capturing the surreal side of the Russian provinces and giving us a window into contemporary life beyond Moscow. In contrast we will also show a portrait of two successful contemporary artists Dubossarsky & Vinogradov, revealing the peculiar relationship between the art world and the media. Classic Soviet musicals Early Soviet musicals are still largely unknown in the West, and yet they are every bit as captivating as their Hollywood counterparts. To mark the 85th anniversary of Mosfilm, main Russia’s film studio, we are showing five classics from director Grigory Alexandrov starring Soviet diva Lubov Orlova made in the 1930s. It is said that Stalin’s role in their creation was so important that he could almost be considered the co-author of these films. Animation As part of our main programme we are proud to present the UK premiere of First Squad, a full length animation about World War II made by a Russian writer and Japanese animator. We are also showing a delightful selection of animations for children. Events § 31 October, 2 pm – a roundtable discussion Russian Cinema: New Reality, New Priority, New Generation, led by Andrei Plakhov; § 4 November, 6 pm – Which Russia is Real? – a roundtable discussion examining why images of Russia captured by Russian documentary filmmakers are so different from those made by their western counterparts. Why Russia’s image of itself is so different from its perception by the West? Which one is the real Russia? Special guests We are delighted that Russian film directors and actors will be joining us for Q&As and to introduce their films. Among them are Sergei Soloviev, Kira Muratova, Tatyana Drubich, Karen Shakhnazarov, Evgenia Simonova, Andrei Eshpay, Pavel Bardin, Andrei Plakhov, Vitaly Mansky and others. Venue Apollo West End Cinema, 19 Regent Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 4LR, info and tickets: 0871 220 6000; www.apollocinemas.co.uk Main programme Anna Karenina_3.jpg Anna Karenina (dir. Sergei Soloviev, Russia, 2009) OPENING NIGHT FILM - Soloviev’s stunningly beautiful adaptation of Tolstoy’s classic tells the tragic and heart-rending story of Anna Karenina, who abandons a loveless marriage in the pursuit of true affection only to lose everything. Fascinatingly, the film is presented as a companion piece to Assa II, Soloviev’s long-awaited follow-up to Assa, the cult perestroika classic, in which a well-known director searches for someone to play the lead role in his adaptation of Anna Karenina. Assa & Assa II (dir. Sergei Soloviev, Russia, 1988 & 2009) – Assa, a groundbreaking feature from the late 1980s, tells the story of a love triangle between a corrupt Soviet official, his mistress Alika and a young punk. The film was the first to represent underground culture, and rock music in particular, as force for change in the stagnant atmosphere of the late Soviet Union and, indeed, the film’s final song ‘I Want Change’ became an anthem for the Gorbachev generation. Assa II tells the story of the main characters 20 years on: Alika is now in prison, but her fortunes may be about to change as a film director visits trying to find the perfect woman to play the lead in his film of Anna Karenina (presented with Soloviev’s Anna Karenina). assa2.ru Ward No. 6 (dir. Karen Shakhnazarov, Russia, 2009) - an adaptation of a short story by Chekhov by one of Russia’s most established film-makers, who is also the General Director of the legendary Russian studio Mosfilm. The action is set in contemporary Russia, and tells the story of Doctor Andrey Ragin who ends up a patient in his own asylum. Initially, Ragin is quick to dismiss the suffering of his patients, however a fascination with the philosophical character of Gromov gradually transforms into obsession, schizophrenia and the ultimate confinement within his own ward. palata6.mosfilm.ru/eng/film/ Pete on the Way to Heaven (dir. Nikolay Dostal, Russia, 2009) - Winner of the Golden George prize for best film at the 31st Moscow International Film Festival, Pete on the Way to Heaven is set in 1953. Pete is the young simpleton of Kandalaksha, a small town on the White Sea, beyond the Arctic Circle. He likes to pretend that he is a real policeman, upholding peace and order. He even has his own gun, albeit made of wood. The town plays along with his harmless law-enforcing conduct and even the local big shots jovially submit to his inspections. Then in March 1953 comes the shattering news of Stalin’s death and the end of an era. A prisoner escapes from the nearby gulag and Pete sets out to chase the fugitive through the snow with the camp guards at his side. The Event (dir. Andrey Eshpay, Russia, 2009) - Based on the play by Vladimir Nabokov, The Event tells the story of a painter named Troscheikin, his wife Lyuba, and her mother and sister who live in a Russian-speaking community in a Western provincial town. The return of a man named Barbashin to the town shatters the monotony of family life. Five years earlier in a bout of jealousy he had shot Troscheikin and his wife and promised to “finish them off” upon his release from jail… Paper Soldier (dir. Alexander German Jnr, Russia, 2009) Set in 1961, this is a highly personal and intimate take on an epic moment in 20th century history as we follow Daniel Pokrovsky, an idealistic young medical officer charged with looking after the health of future cosmonauts. When one of the cadets on the programme is killed, Pokrovsky finds that he cannot believe in a programme that sacrifices its young men in the name of their country. Aleksei German’s multi-award winning film tells the story of a man for whom the dream of space travel becomes a nightmare, as he finds himself increasingly at odds with the ambitions of the Sputnik programme. Russia 88 (dir. Pavel Bardin, Russia, 2009) - a controversial feature from a young Russian film director, made in a documentary style, examining the rise of xenophobia and nationalism in Russia. The action centres around a Jewish boy who becomes a skinhead and asks how this could happen. When the film opened in Russia it caused a great deal of debate in the press and official circles. russia88.com Melody for a Street Organ (dir. Kira Muratova, Russia, 2009) - Eagerly anticipated, the latest film by award-winning director Kira Muratova does not disappoint. Beautifully shot, Melody for a Hurdy-Gurdy tells the poignant tale of two young children, stepbrother and sister, on the search for their fathers after the death of their mother. Muratova depicts the irony of modern life, where the disadvantaged fight for survival and the affluent allay their ennui by playing with death. Indeed, Melody for a Hurdy-Gurdy is a bleak and heart-rending portrayal of humanity, with no room for those untouched by the pervading egotism and indifference of today’s world. First Squad (dir. Yoshiharu Ashino, Russia/Japan, 2009) 1942: the war along the Eastern front has descended into dreadful and costly stalemate. Desperate to regain momentum, the German army turns to a secret organisation to raise the spirits of their dead ancestors to fight on their behalf. The Red Army’s regular forces prove helpless against these supernatural warriors. Fourteen-year-old Nadya is their only hope. She must use her psychic abilities to travel to the underworld and recruit the souls of her dead friends, the Pioneers of the First Squad, to defend their country. First Squad is a unique, fantastical take on Russian historical events, presented in anime form. It is the product of an intercultural collaboration between Russian creators, Misha Shprits and Aljosha Klimov, and Japanese animators, Studio 4 ºC, known for their ability to bridge the gap between arthouse and mainstream animation. www.first-squad.com Documentary programme Sunrise/Sunset Dalai Lama XIV Vitali Manski’s honest and intimate portrait of one of the most intriguing figures in the world. The Back of Beyond A look at a changing nation in microcosm as villagers in Siberia have their passports pictures taken. Parts of the Body Examining the effects of the war in the Caucasus on the young men still living there. Dubossarsky & Vingradov A sideways look at the contemporary art world. Long Way Home A colourful sketch of provincial life. Soviet musicals The Shining Path A Soviet Cinderella: when a hard-working peasant girl is awarded the Order of Lenin, she finds both a new and remarkable career and blossoming romance. Spring Professor Nikitina becomes embroiled in a romantic comedy of errors during her research into how best to harness the sun’s energy. The Merry Fellows Kostya, a young shepherd, is mistaken for a famous jazz musician and invited to an exclusive party. Hilarity ensues as he builds a ‘merry’ life from nothing – a hugely appealing idea for Soviet cinema-goers at the time. The Circus Marion Dikson, an American circus artist, flees the USA and the racism that she has endured for having a mixed-race son, and finds acceptance and happiness in the USSR. Volga-Volga Said to be Stalin’s favourite film, it tells of the adventures of two amateur theatrical choirs from a remote town in the Urals, who are on their way to perform at the Moscow Musical Olympiad. animation In addition to our UK premiere of First Squad, we will also be showing three programmes of award-winning animation from Russia.

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