Russian Ark
Synopsis: Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov (THE SUN) broke boundaries with his dreamlike vision of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russian Ark. It’s the first feature-length narrative film shot in a single take (on digital video, using a specially designed disc instead of tape.)
Russian Ark is shot from the point-of-view of an unseen narrator, as he explores the museum and travels through Russian history. The audience sees through his eyes as he witnesses Peter the Great (Maksim Sergeyev) abusing one of his generals; Catherine the Great (Maria Kuznetsova) desperately searching for a bathroom; and in the grand finale, the sumptuous Great Royal Ball of 1913. The narrator is eventually joined by a sarcastic and eccentric 19th century French Marquis (Sergey Dreiden,) who travels with him throughout the huge grounds, encountering various historical figures and viewing the legendary artworks on display. While the narrator only interacts with the Marquis (he seems to be invisible to all the other inhabitants,) the Marquis occasionally interacts with visitors and former residents of the museum.
The film was obviously shot in one day, but the cast and crew rehearsed for months to time their movements precisely with the flow of the camera while capturing the complex narrative, with elaborate costumes from different periods, and several trips out to the exterior of the museum. Tilman Buttner, the director of photography, was responsible for capturing it all in one single Steadicam shot. In Russian with English subtitles.
Genre
Rated
Language
Run Time
Subtitles
Starring
Leonid Mozgovoy (The Spy )
Mariya Kuznetsova (Catherine The Great )
Sergey Dreyden (The Stranger)
Directed by
Written by
Anatoli Nikiforov
Svetlana Proskurina
Aleksandr Sokurov
Produced by
Jens Meurer
Karsten Stöter
Edited by
Sergey Ivanov
Betina Kuntzsch
Composer
Cinematographer
Awards
Toronto International Film Festival - Canada - 2002
Visions Award (Aleksandr Sokurov)
San Francisco Film Critics Circle - USA - 2003
Special Citation "Better Late Than Never" citation. (Aleksandr Sokurov)
Society of Camera Operators - USA - 2008
Historical Shot (Tilman Büttner)
Nominations
Cannes Film Festival - France - 2002
Palme d'Or
Quotes
The movie's smooth voyage comes to seem like a dream play, suspended painlessly in time. - Aaron Cutler , Village Voice
Might well be the first real masterpiece of the 21st Century. - Robert Denerstein , Denver Rocky Mountain News
A marvel of a film that makes the Hermitage its star. - Roger Moore , Orlando Sentinel
This is a stunning film, a one-of-a-kind tour de force. - Eric Harrison , Houston Chronicle
Press
Rotten Tomatoes - Certified Fresh! - [Rotten Tomatoes]