Russian director Slava Ross returned to his native Siberia for his second feature film and the result is a crafted, atmospheric meditation on the darkness of the average soul and the strange possibilities for redemption. The blunt brutality of the film is coupled with an endearing compassion that has garnered the attention of audiences and critics.
Acclaimed French director Luc Besson has acted as a midwife to the arthouse film, titled “Siberia Monamour.” Besson performed final edits and purchased the distribution rights for 20 years. As producer, he is also promoting the film abroad in time for film festival markets.
Besson has worked on 50 films as writer, director or producer in the last 25 years, and his role gave the film just that much more legitimacy within the international film community. “Siberia Monamour” has been screened in New York and is now making the festival circuit.
The work was a decade-long odyssey that culminated in filming from makeshift villages on the taiga with feral dogs and a cold—and at times disgruntled—crew. Ross was finally rewarded with rare praise from American and European critics for his strong direction and arthouse potential.
"Miles away from the absurdist theatrics of his debut feature, "Fat Stupid Rabbit," Ross convincingly depicts various country folk fighting to survive both in and around the ironically named hamlet of Monamour," The Hollywood Reporter wrote, adding that "Performances are strong across the board, and the young Protsko [Lyochka] is particularly touching without ever seeming cute."
“I was born in Siberia and lived there 33 years, and I know about it from my personal perspective,” Ross said after a Moscow screening at the Film Library. “I wrote all this, but of course the scenario resembles real life, from what I’ve seen and known.”
At the center of Ross’s story is a young orphan, Lyochka, and his grandfather, who is played by Pyotry Zaichenko, who heralds from Pavel Lungin’s signature 90s film, “Taxi Blues.” The two live in the otherwise abandoned old village, in the kind of disrepair that is one step from destitution. In their case, they are one forest away from help, and the denizens of the nearby town cluck and gossip about the grandfather’s refusal to move closer to modern amenities. Their only protection is an ancient icon they pray to each night by candlelight. A troubled Army officer and his grunt soldier abuse but then ultimately find a surprising solidarity with a teen prostitute and their path eventually leads them to Lyochka.
The neglected village was constructed for the film. “With the art director we found a glade with a remarkable and amazing backdrop,” Ross said. “Our art director created the village, but we didn’t build it from new materials. All houses were purchased, disassembled, transported and recreated to make a new place.”
But the real village Monamour exists as well. Cossacks experienced Paris after the War of 1812, and then returned to the Ural Mountains and to Siberia. French names were given to many places that still exist. The village Monamour exists as well, but it is a forgotten place. ...
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Vasily Sigarev: To Live aka Living - Жить (2012) trailer
Director: Vasily Sigarev
Cast: Yana Troyanova, Olga Lapshina, Alexei Filimonov, Alexei Pustovoitov, Anna Ukolova, Irma Arendt, Konstantin Gatsalov, Dmitri Kulichkov, Evgeny Sitiy, Yana Sekste, Marina Gavrilova, Sasha Gavrilova.
Russians have a reputation for painting the bleak reality of everyday life in art. The latest is a film about death entitled “Living” directed by up-and-coming Russian filmmaker Vasily Sigarev.
His drama is vying for top honours at the Rotterdam International Film Festival.
The creator of the award-winning social drama Wolfy, Sigarev's second feature is set in the middle of nowhere, in a wintry Russian province.
The movie revolves around several characters. A mother who wants to reunite with her twin daughters, a young newly wed couple, and a boy looking to see his estranged father, despite his mother's protests. Each of these characters experiences death of loved ones and has to learn to live without them. ...
Living, Russian filmmaker Vasily Sigarev’s second feature, tells three stories of contemporary Russian misery in a chilly province. In one, a young couple tries to navigate everyday violence; in another, an older woman deals with the consequences of her alcoholism on her daughters’ lives; and in the third, a young boy pines for his missing father.
They might seem to add up to a critique of contemporary social malaise, but Sigarev says – through a translator – that “I was not thinking about society. These stories could have happened a hundred years ago, three hundred years ago, the same as now. But a hundred years ago there was a different understanding of death. (Russian) people’s attitude to the death of those around them has changed. Now, it’s more like in European society, where there are small families, with perhaps one child, and people don’t notice what happens in families near them. Their neighbours could lose someone and they don’t see it.”
Death is seldom far away in Living, which is in the running for a Tiger Award. In more than one story, Sigarev has some characters appear to others after their death. “It’s not a fantasy,” he clarifies. “It’s the psychological reaction of the people in the circumstances. It’s inside these people’s heads, a subjective view.” An expression, perhaps, of the kind of despair that was also part of his debut feature, Wolfy (2009), in which a young girl pursues the mother who has abandoned her.
Sigarev began his career as a playwright but seems not to miss theatre – or, indeed, ever to have had much affection for it. “For now, I’m not working on the stage,” he smiles. “I’m taking a rest in the movie industry.” And would he be happy to work only in cinema from now on? “Of course,” he laughs. “I dream of that. I don’t like to go to the theatre. The first time I went to the theatre was to see my own play… and I didn’t like it.” How does his approach to film work differ to his approach to stage work? “There’s no difference in my approach, it’s just a question of whether it’s a script or a screenplay.” And what is it that he prefers about working with the camera? “I don’t know how to explain why, it’s just more interesting. I love movies more than theatre.”
For his next project, Sigarev plans a new departure but also to remain consistent. “I’m trying to find the money for a comedy,” he says. “Only the genre will change, not the style of work, the sensibility or the feelings.” ...
Cast: Yana Troyanova, Olga Lapshina, Alexei Filimonov, Alexei Pustovoitov, Anna Ukolova, Irma Arendt, Konstantin Gatsalov, Dmitri Kulichkov, Evgeny Sitiy, Yana Sekste, Marina Gavrilova, Sasha Gavrilova.
Russians have a reputation for painting the bleak reality of everyday life in art. The latest is a film about death entitled “Living” directed by up-and-coming Russian filmmaker Vasily Sigarev.
His drama is vying for top honours at the Rotterdam International Film Festival.
The creator of the award-winning social drama Wolfy, Sigarev's second feature is set in the middle of nowhere, in a wintry Russian province.
The movie revolves around several characters. A mother who wants to reunite with her twin daughters, a young newly wed couple, and a boy looking to see his estranged father, despite his mother's protests. Each of these characters experiences death of loved ones and has to learn to live without them. ...
Living, Russian filmmaker Vasily Sigarev’s second feature, tells three stories of contemporary Russian misery in a chilly province. In one, a young couple tries to navigate everyday violence; in another, an older woman deals with the consequences of her alcoholism on her daughters’ lives; and in the third, a young boy pines for his missing father.
They might seem to add up to a critique of contemporary social malaise, but Sigarev says – through a translator – that “I was not thinking about society. These stories could have happened a hundred years ago, three hundred years ago, the same as now. But a hundred years ago there was a different understanding of death. (Russian) people’s attitude to the death of those around them has changed. Now, it’s more like in European society, where there are small families, with perhaps one child, and people don’t notice what happens in families near them. Their neighbours could lose someone and they don’t see it.”
Death is seldom far away in Living, which is in the running for a Tiger Award. In more than one story, Sigarev has some characters appear to others after their death. “It’s not a fantasy,” he clarifies. “It’s the psychological reaction of the people in the circumstances. It’s inside these people’s heads, a subjective view.” An expression, perhaps, of the kind of despair that was also part of his debut feature, Wolfy (2009), in which a young girl pursues the mother who has abandoned her.
Sigarev began his career as a playwright but seems not to miss theatre – or, indeed, ever to have had much affection for it. “For now, I’m not working on the stage,” he smiles. “I’m taking a rest in the movie industry.” And would he be happy to work only in cinema from now on? “Of course,” he laughs. “I dream of that. I don’t like to go to the theatre. The first time I went to the theatre was to see my own play… and I didn’t like it.” How does his approach to film work differ to his approach to stage work? “There’s no difference in my approach, it’s just a question of whether it’s a script or a screenplay.” And what is it that he prefers about working with the camera? “I don’t know how to explain why, it’s just more interesting. I love movies more than theatre.”
For his next project, Sigarev plans a new departure but also to remain consistent. “I’m trying to find the money for a comedy,” he says. “Only the genre will change, not the style of work, the sensibility or the feelings.” ...
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Anton Bormatov: Cinderella- Золушка -Trailer (2012)HD
Director Anton Bormatov
Cast:Christine Asmus, Yuri Stoyanov, Sergey Burunov
A love story of modern Cinderella.
Top 20 Russian Movies
The choice is not mine. The video was uploaded by karimberdi on Oct 19, 2011 and it is karimberdi's selection.
The cinema of Russia began in the Russian Empire, widely developed under the Soviet and in the years following the fall of the Soviet system, the Russian film industry would remain internationally recognized. In the 21st century, Russian cinema has become popular internationally with hits such as House of Fools, Night Watch, and the exceptionally popular Brother.
Cinema Of Russia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_cinema
20. Office Romance (comedy) - Eldar Ryazanov
19. Assa (crime) - Sergei Solovyov
18. Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears (drama) - Vladimir Menshov
17. The End Of St. Petersburg (drama) - Vsevolod Pudovkin
16. Prisoner Of The Mountains (war) - Sergei Bodrov
15. An Unfinished Piece For A Player Piano (drama) - Nikita Mikhalkov
14. October: Ten Days That Shook The World (historical) - Sergei Eisenstein
13. Ballad Of A Soldier (war) - Grigori Chukhrai
12. White Sun Of The Desert (adventure) - Vladimir Motyl
11. Dersu Uzala (drama) - Akira Kurosawa
10. War And Peace (epic) - Sergei Bondarchuk
09. Tale Of Tales (avant garde) - Yuriy Norshteyn
08. Stalker (science fiction) - Andrei Tarkovsky
07. Come And See (war) - Elem Klimov
06. The Cranes Are Flying (drama) - Mikhail Kalatozov
05. Solaris (science fiction) - Andrei Tarkovsky
04. Alexander Nevsky (historical) - Sergei Eisenstein
03. Man With A Movie Camera (avant garde) - Dziga Vertov
02. Andrei Rublev (historical) - Andrei Tarkovsky
01. The Battleship Potemkin (historical) - Sergei Eisenstein
Russian film center coming soon to Hollywood
Russia is to acquire its very own film hub in Hollywood. State-backed company Roskino is opening an LA branch to promote Russian movies, seek co-operation with Hollywood and last but not least, welcome Russian filmmakers visiting the US.
The new Russian Film Commission will be based in Beverly Hills.
Besides establishing ties with US distributors and promoting co-productions, the commission will also offer Russian grounds as filming locations, The Chicago Tribune reports.
The commission will host screening programs, discussions, and eventually a Russian Film Week to present the latest and brightest artistic and commercial achievements of Russian cinema.
"Russia is becoming a very strong market, with many global distributors choosing [it] to premiere their movies, and with a Film Commission … in Los Angeles we expect to facilitate further conversations with both independent filmmakers and the studios going forward," The Chicago Tribune quotes Roskino CEO Ekaterina Mtsituridze as saying. ...
The new Russian Film Commission will be based in Beverly Hills.
Besides establishing ties with US distributors and promoting co-productions, the commission will also offer Russian grounds as filming locations, The Chicago Tribune reports.
The commission will host screening programs, discussions, and eventually a Russian Film Week to present the latest and brightest artistic and commercial achievements of Russian cinema.
"Russia is becoming a very strong market, with many global distributors choosing [it] to premiere their movies, and with a Film Commission … in Los Angeles we expect to facilitate further conversations with both independent filmmakers and the studios going forward," The Chicago Tribune quotes Roskino CEO Ekaterina Mtsituridze as saying. ...
Monday, 13 February 2012
Vladimir Kaplunovskiy: Captain’s Daughter - Капитанская дочка (1959)
Director: Vladimir Kaplunovskiy
Writers: Alexander Pushkin (novel), Nikolai Kovarsky
Stars: Iya Arepina, Oleg Strizhenov, Vladimir Dorofeyev
Based on the last novel written by Alexander Pushkin, this well-wrought tale of political daring and intrigue is set at the end of the 18th century during the reign of one of Russia's greatest rulers, Catherine the Great. The story centers on a young soldier, Peter Griniev (Oleg Strijenov), who has been banished to a distant outpost because of his drinking habits. The post's Captain Mironov Vladimir Dorofeyev has a lovely daughter by the name of Masha (Ia Arepina) who captures the heart of young Peter just as he is recovering from a duel with another soldier. In the meantime, the Cossacks are rising up in revolt, and their leader, Pugachev (Sergei Lukianov) has a special relationship to Peter -- the young soldier had once saved his life. As Pugachev and his peasant followers approach the outpost, the drama reaches its moving climax. Ironically, Pushkin wrote this story in 1836 and was killed the following year in a duel (a practice he rails against in his stories). ...
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Lev Atamanov: The Snow Queen - Снежная королева (1957)
Director: Lev Atamanov
Writers: Hans Christian Andersen (story), Lev Atamanov
Stars: Vladimir Gribkov, Yanina Zhejmo, Anna Komolova
Awards
1957—Venice Film Festival: Golden Lion in the animated film category
1958—Cannes Film Festival: First prize in the animated film category
1958—Rome: First prize
1958—Moscow Film Festival: Special prize
1959—London (Festival of festivals): Prize for best film of year
Dubbed in English here.
Writers: Hans Christian Andersen (story), Lev Atamanov
Stars: Vladimir Gribkov, Yanina Zhejmo, Anna Komolova
Awards
1957—Venice Film Festival: Golden Lion in the animated film category
1958—Cannes Film Festival: First prize in the animated film category
1958—Rome: First prize
1958—Moscow Film Festival: Special prize
1959—London (Festival of festivals): Prize for best film of year
Dubbed in English here.
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