Press Room

Andrei Tarkovsky, Sculpting in Time presents the work of the revolutionary director and includes screenings—all on 35 mm—of all seven feature films and a behind-the-scenes documentary

New York, NY (June 8, 2015)

The Museum of Arts and Design presents a full cinematic retrospective of Andrei Tarkovsky’s work this summer with its latest cinema series, Andrei Tarkovsky, Sculpting in Time, from July 10 through August 28, 2015. Over the course of just seven feature films, Tarkovsky produced a poetic and enigmatic body of work that expanded the possibilities of cinema as an art form and transformed a wide range of genres including science fiction, war stories, film essays and historical dramas. Celebrating the legacy of this revolutionary director, the retrospective includes screenings of Tarkovsky’s seven feature films on 35 mm, as well as a behind-the-scenes documentary that reveals the process behind his groundbreaking practice and cinematic achievements.

“Few directors have had as large of an influence on cinema as Andrei Tarkovsky,” says Jake Yuzna, MAD’s Director of Public Programs. “Working under censorship and with little support from the Soviet Union, Tarkovsky fought fiercely for his conceptualization of cinema as a singular and vital art form. Reconsidering the role of films in an age of increasing technology, Tarkovsky saw cinema as not merely a tool for communicating information, but as ‘a moral barometer in a sea of competing narratives.’”

Premiering on July 10 with Tarkovsky’s science fiction classic, Solaris, the retrospective showcases the director’s distinctive and influential aesthetic, characterized by expressive, sweeping takes, the evocative use of landscapes, and his method of “sculpting in time” with a camera. Often described as deeply spiritual, almost all depicting characters in existential crisis, Tarkovsky’s films meditate on philosophical truths, while building upon traditional cinematic narrative structures and defying simple interpretations.

Screenings include Tarkovsky’s debut feature, Ivan’s Childhood (1962),that launched his reputation as one of the most talented directors of his generation and garnered the highest prize at the 1962 Venice Film Festival; Stalker, which has developed a cult-like following since its release in 1976; a rare, uncut 205-minute version of Andrei Rublev (1966), Tarkovsky’s tour-de-force examination of the life and struggles of an artist; the documentary, Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky (1988), which chronicles the iconic director before his untimely death; and The Sacrifice (1986), Tarkovsky’s final film that pairs an examination of the role of religion and hope with some of the most striking images ever captured on screen.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Andrei Tarkovsky, Sculpting in Time is organized by Jake Yuzna, MAD’s Director of Public Programs. Tickets and more information are available by calling 1-800-838-3006 or visiting: http://madmuseum.org/series/andrei-tarkovsky-sculpting-time

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SCREENING SCHEDULE

Solaris (Солярис)
Friday, July 10, 2015, 7 p.m.
$10 General, Free for MAD Members

1972, Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
With Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis and Jüri Järvet
167 min, 35 mm 

With its iconic cinematography and philosophical approach, Solaris has become a milestone in the history of science fiction and cinema. Adapted from Polish author Stanislaw Lem’s book, the film follows the psychologist Kris Kelvin as he travels to a space station orbiting the planet Solaris to learn why his entire crew has fallen into emotional crisis. Once on board the station, Kelvin is startled to discover the apparition of his dead wife, who may have been created by the possibly sentient planet. Solaris was named winner of the Grand Prix at the 1973 Cannes Film festival.

Stalker (Сталкер)
Friday, July 17, 2015, 7 p.m.
$10 General, Free for MAD Members

1976, Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
With Alisa Freyndlikh, Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy and Anatoliy Solonitsyn 
163 min, 35 mm

Stalker chronicles the journey of a shadowy guide, as he leads a writer and professor into a site known only as the “zone,” wherein lies a room with the power to fulfill a person’s innermost dreams. As the trio traverses this fantastic world, the effects of their real intentions for entering the space begin to engulf them. Loosely based on the novel Roadside Picnic by the Soviet-Russian Strugatsky Brothers, Stalker has grown to become an iconic piece of Russian film history that inspires artists, writers and filmmakers around the globe.

Ivan’s Childhood (Иваново детство)
Friday, July 24, 2015, 7 p.m.
$10 General, Free for MAD Members

1962, Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
With Nikolay Burlyaev, Valentin Zubkov and Evgeniy Zharikov
84 min, 35 mm

Tarkovsky’s debut feature, Ivan’s Childhood, won the young director international acclaim and the top honor at the Venice Film Festival, launching his reputation as one of the most talented directors of his generation. The film follows the effects of World War II on the childhood of a young boy. Unlike other films of the time that sought to glorify war, Ivan’s Childhood focuses on the human cost of war. With striking cinematography and unflinching performances, Ivan’s Childhood has garnered rave reviews from figures including Ingmar Bergman, Jean-Paul Sartre and Krzysztof Kieślowski. 

Andrei Rublev (Андрей Рублёв)
Friday, July 31, 2015, 7 p.m.
$10 General, Free for MAD Members

1966, Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
With Anatoliy Solonitsyn, Ivan Lapikov and Nikolay Grinko 
205 min, 35 mm

Tarkovsky’s second feature film explores the life of the fifteenth-century Russian icon painter Andrei Rublev and the role of faith in a turbulent period of Russian history. Upon completion, Andrei Rublev faced censorship from the Communist government, due to its religious themes and artistic freedom, and was screened only once in Moscow, until its release as a censored version in 1971. The film was presented at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the International Federation of Film Critics Prize. MAD is proud to present a rare, uncut 205-minute version of the film.

The Mirror (Зеркало)
Friday, August 7, 2015, 7 p.m.
$10 General, Free for MAD Members

1975, Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
With Margarita Terekhova, Filipp Yankovskiy and Ignat Daniltsev 
108 min, 35 mm

Loosely autobiographical, Tarkovsky’s iconic The Mirror weaves together the memories of a poet in his forties as he is dying. Combining breathtaking imagery, readings of the poetry of Tarkovsky’s father, the prominent Russian poet Arnsey Tarkovsky, newsreel footage, memories and dreams, The Mirror is one of the director’s most distinctive films. Barred from screening at the Cannes Film Festival by the Russian government at the time of its completion, The Mirror has since become one of Tarkovsky’s most revered works.

Nostalghia
Friday, August 14, 2015, 7 p.m.
$10 General, Free for MAD Members

1983, Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
With Oleg Yankovskiy, Erland Josephson and Domiziana Giordano 
125 min, 35 mm

Life imitated art during the creation of Tarkovsky’s Nostalghia. His first film to be made outside of the Soviet Union, Nostalghia follows the story of a Russian poet as he travels to Italy to research the life of an eighteenth-century composer. Once there, the poet’s encounter with a lunatic man unlocks feelings about his mother Russia, religion and his place in the world. Reflecting the relocation of the characters in the film, Tarkovsky remained in Italy until the end of his life—after the Russian government withdrew funding of the film during production. Winner of both the Grand Prix and the International Federation of Film Critics Prize at Cannes, Nostalghia marks an important shift in the life and work of Tarkovsky, as he reflects on life outside of the culture and country of one’s birth.

The Sacrifice (Offret)
Friday, August 21, 2015, 7 p.m.
$10 General, Free for MAD Members

1986, Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
With Erland Josephson, Susan Fleetwood and Allan Edwall
142 min, 35 mm                                        

Tarkovsky’s last film, The Sacrifice, centers on a middle-aged intellectual, who travels to a remote farmhouse for a friendly dinner among friends. Once there, he learns of an impending nuclear assault that will launch World War III and spell doom for all of humanity. Over the course of the evening, the intellectual bargains with God to stop the impending catastrophe, and attempts to come to terms with the evils of humankind. Premiering at the Cannes Film festival, The Sacrifice won Tarkovsky his second Grand Prix prize, as well as his third International Federation of Film Critics Prize.

Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
Friday, August 28, 2015, 7 p.m.
$10 General, Free for MAD Members

1988, Dir. Michal Leszczylowski
With Andrei Tarkovsky, Erland Josephson and Brian Cox (Narration)
102 min, 35 mm

This examination of the life and work of Tarkovsky draws heavily on footage taken on the set of his final production, The Sacrifice. Featuring interviews with the filmmaker, the documentary looks at Tarkovsky's meticulous creative process and uncompromising vision. Including anecdotes from his widow, which shed more light on Tarkovsky's dedication to his craft, Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky captures this icon of cinema before his untimely death.

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