Andrei Tarkovsky (1932-Andrei Tarkovsky (1932-1986)1986)

Andrei Tarkovsky: formationAndrei Tarkovsky: formation

Son of a poet, Arsenii Tarkovsky. Son of a poet, Arsenii Tarkovsky. Andrei’s mother was educated as a writer Andrei’s mother was educated as a writer

at the Literary Institute, but destroyed all at the Literary Institute, but destroyed all her works “for the lack of talent.”her works “for the lack of talent.”

Studied music and art while at school; for Studied music and art while at school; for a year, studied Arabic (the Oriental a year, studied Arabic (the Oriental Institute, Moscow).Institute, Moscow).

Graduated from the State Institute of Graduated from the State Institute of Cinematography in Moscow (VGIK), film-Cinematography in Moscow (VGIK), film-directing-program, in 1960.directing-program, in 1960.

Creative activityCreative activity

Influences: Influences: Almost no Russian directors; French New Wave Almost no Russian directors; French New Wave

and Italian neorealism;and Italian neorealism; Michaelangelo Antonioni; Ingmar Bergman; Akiro Michaelangelo Antonioni; Ingmar Bergman; Akiro

Kurosawa and other Japanese directors; Louis Kurosawa and other Japanese directors; Louis Bunuel; Robert Bresson, etc. – the “author’s Bunuel; Robert Bresson, etc. – the “author’s cinema”: director should be also the scriptwriter.cinema”: director should be also the scriptwriter.

Work beside cinema:Work beside cinema: screenplays;screenplays; directing directing HamletHamlet in theatre (Moscow, 1976) in theatre (Moscow, 1976) directing the opera directing the opera Boris GodunovBoris Godunov (London,1983); (London,1983); a book on film theory, a book on film theory, Sculpting in Time Sculpting in Time (1986)(1986)

Andrei TarkovskyAndrei Tarkovsky

Left the USSR in Left the USSR in 1984. Died in Paris.1984. Died in Paris.

Long list of Long list of international awards, international awards, but just one (as a but just one (as a student) in the USSR; student) in the USSR; the Lenin Prize the Lenin Prize posthumously (1990).posthumously (1990).

One of the greatest One of the greatest cineastes of the 20th cineastes of the 20th cent. His work is cent. His work is among achievements among achievements of the “Stagnation” of the “Stagnation” (the epoch that (the epoch that followed the Thaw).followed the Thaw).

Tarkovsky QuotesTarkovsky Quotes

““The artist exists because the world The artist exists because the world is not perfect”;is not perfect”;

““Art would be useless if the world Art would be useless if the world were perfect”; were perfect”;

““Art is born out of ill-designed Art is born out of ill-designed world”;world”;

““Cinema is an unhappy art since it Cinema is an unhappy art since it depends on money.”depends on money.”

Films: Films: •The Steamroller and the Violin 1960•Ivan's Childhood 1962•Andrei Rublev 1966. Shown at Cannes 1967. Released for (limited) screening in USSR in

1971 (censored version). Released in full in 1987.•Solaris rel. 1972•Mirror rel. 1974•Stalker rel. 1979•Nostalghia 1983 (Italy)•Sacrifice 1986 (Sweden).

Tarkovsky’s ArtTarkovsky’s Art

Bergman claimed that Tarkovsky invented a new Bergman claimed that Tarkovsky invented a new cinematic language: dreamlike, true to the cinematic language: dreamlike, true to the nature of film.nature of film.

Poetic realism: the long shot, less montage, no Poetic realism: the long shot, less montage, no rapid-cut editing.rapid-cut editing.

Fantasy, dreams and the telescoping of time Fantasy, dreams and the telescoping of time ((sculpting in timesculpting in time) - the flashback unmarked. ) - the flashback unmarked.

Anti-narrative in the Hollywood/Socrealist sense.Anti-narrative in the Hollywood/Socrealist sense. Measured use of colour (chromatic Epilogue in Measured use of colour (chromatic Epilogue in

ARAR). ). Metapoetic (self-reflective).Metapoetic (self-reflective). Recurrent motifs (i.e., horses, levitation/flying, Recurrent motifs (i.e., horses, levitation/flying,

milk, water).milk, water). Metaphysical themes.Metaphysical themes.