Andrei Tarkovsky

Categories: Movies
  • Andrei Tarkovsky was a Russian filmmaker and theorist who worked starting from the late 1950s until his death in 1986. He made most of his films under the Soviet regime, eventually moving to Italy and Sweden, where he could work without the restrictions of censorship. Andrei Tarkovsky is recognized by many critics as one of the most important film directors ever to record on celluloid.
  • Film as Art

    Andrei Tarkovsky regarded film as an art form and his movies as art. He recognized the entertainment value of mass cinema, and acknowledged that his work is less approachable than most films.

    Film critics and fans admire his movies for the deliberate camerawork, long contemplative shots and striking imagery. Tarkovsky touched such broad philosophical themes as the meaning of life, the existence of God and the possibility of salvation.

  • Censorship and Exile

    In the Soviet Union, Tarkovsky's work was subjected to censorship and prevented from nation-wide screenings. The director often said that he was being followed by the KGB, although some historians and friends considered that an exaggeration.

    Soviet authorities deemed his films as elitist and out of touch with the everyday life of ordinary Soviet citizens. He was discouraged from shooting in his native country and in 1982 moved to western Europe in order to continue working.

  • Influence

    Citing Robert Bresson and Ingmar Bergman as influences, Tarkovsky himself influenced several directors, the Russian Andrei Zvyaginzev among them. Zvyaginzev's Vozvrashcheniye, The Return in English, won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival in 2003.

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