Russian film ‘Andrei Rublev’ to be screened at Lok Virsa

Islamabad

Director; Andrei Tarkovsky

Lok Virsa film club 'Mandwa' brings Russian classic 'Andrei Rublev' from 1966 on February 13 (Saturday) at 3 p.m.

Director Andrei Tarkovsky was more than just a film director. He was writer, editor, film theorist, and theatre and opera director.

The film 'Andrei Rublev' is based on the life and times of Andrei Tarkovsky, Russian icon painter' through various events with conflicts, fights and crisis between rival groups on one side and poor peasants on the other.

This is Medieval Russia where Christianity is a harsh reality. The film is brilliantly fashioned showing how painter is invited to paint at the house of a lord. He must face conflicts and crisis because he cannot keep himself aloof and isolated from what is happening around him. It is a strange world where masses (read: peasants) are struggling for freedom and a time comes when the artist himself is forced to kill someone to save someone. The American film trade magazine calls it "Brilliantly fashioned it catches the medieval brutality and man's awakening of a need for a change ".

Plenty of labour of love went into the research, planning, pre-production of the film, and a lot more into production and post-production. Nobody here was trying to attempt a historical epic or even a biography of the artist. It was being produced as a portrayal of a character, his personality and the harsh times he lived through. It is all about how an icon artist matures and develops his talent and craft. Rublev's life is lensed in black and white and his art work in colour. This was done to separate life from the work. Budget restrictions were a major hurdle during the production of the film and many planned events from the script remained on the paper. 

The film contains a series of poetic explosions carrying joy, sorrow and stress. The art here is poetry and it is a absolute treat for those who love art. And then there is storytelling with powerful visuals. The pacing howsoever, is slow but you can't have a jet-set tempo for a subject like this. It takes time to unfold the events gradually (and extremely slowly)

Andrei Rublev has its own long story about the release. The film was held up for its exhibition in Russia. It later had only single screening in Moscow. After several invites, it was sent to Cannes International Film Festival only for one screening held at 4 a.m. and that too out of competition which meant it did not qualify for Great Cannes honours (Grad Prix and Palme d'Or). The film did win International Film Critics prize from FIPRESCI.

The author can be reached at aijazzgul@gmail.com