Nostalghia

The penultimate work of the great cinematic poet Andrei Tarkovsky, and the first of two feature films he shot outside the Soviet Union. In this context, the story it tells seems almost prophetic. Russian writer Andrei Gorchakov, accompanied by his guide and translator Eugenia, travels through Italy while researching the life of his compatriot—an 18th-century composer. An encounter with the madman Domenico awakens in Andrei a longing for what has been lost. Nostalghia is woven from motifs well known from Tarkovskyi’s metaphysical cinema: against the backdrop of mesmerizing landscapes, the narrative unfolds at the unhurried pace of spiritual reflection, accompanied by the music of Verdi and Beethoven. The film’s enigmatic screenplay is the result of Tarkovsky’s collaboration with Tonino Guerra, who had previously worked with Antonioni, Angelopoulos, and Fellini. The two artists documented their preparations for the project in the film Voyage in Time.

Julia Palmowska

Andrei Tarkovsky (1932–1986)– Soviet film director and screenwriter, widely regarded as one of the greatest auteurs in cinema history. He studied Direction at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography in Moscow under the guidance of Mikhail Romm. His debut feature Ivan’s Childhood won a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. His illustrious filmography includes Andrei Rublev, Solaris, and The Mirror. Ingmar Bergman once said that he “invented a new language in line with the nature of cinema that captures life as a reflection, life as a dream”. Tarkovsky’s influence can be seen in the works of numerous contemporary filmmakers, from Carlos Reygadas to Nicolas Winding Refn.

17th New Horizons IFF Catalogue