Daily Times

Six years back, I was in love. Of course, one sided and in that period, I watched a film ‘Andrei Rublev’ directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. While in love, and in intermittent condition it was hard for me to fathom the essence of the movie. On last Monday I watched that movie again, and it stroked to me as nostalgic. And again it drove me back to the limbo of depression, because reminiscence and remnants of past are impossible to deal: they never leave. She has become Nostalgia to me.

Andrei Tarkovsky was a Russian director and writer, born to Arseny Tarkovsky, the greatest 20th Century poet. Like his father Andrei’s nature was poetic, nihilistic and existentialist which he converted it to his movies. His directional style was different; he explored spiritual and metaphysical themes, and was known for use to slow long takes with poetic narration. He gave new language to cinema captured life as reflection and as dream. His first five movies Ivans Childhood (1962), Andrei Rublev (1966), Solaris (1972), Mirror (1975) and Stalker (1979) were directed for Soviet Union. And later two movies Nostalghia (1983) and The Sacrifice (1986) abroad due to his conflict with Soviet authorities. He was influenced by greatest directors like, Akira Kurosawa (director of Seven Samurai), Carl Theodor Dreyer (director of The Passion of Joan of Arc) and Ingmar Bergman (director of The Seventh Seal). Akira Kurosawa and Ingmar Bergman later praised his movies and Ingmar hailed him as “the most important director of all time”.

Lars Von Trier director of ‘Depression Trilogy’, ‘Anti Christ’, ‘Melancholia’ and ‘Nymphomaniac’ was so inspired by Andrei that he dedicated his film ‘Anti Christ’ to him. Lars Von Trier is known as the Carl Theodor Dreyer of this century. Andrei had influenced many directors like Terrence Malik, Bella Tarr and Nuri Bilge Ceylan. Nuri is Turkish film-director and his personal favourite movie of Tarkovsky was Andrie Rublev (1966).

Andrei Rublev (1966) is loosely based on the life of fifteenth century Russian iconographer and monk St Andrei Rublev, who was renowned as greatest creator of religious icons and frescoes. Movie depicts pragmatic image of Russia. Tarkovsky shows that artist as “world historic figure” and Christianity as an axiom of Russia’s historical identity. Theme of film includes artistic nature of characters looking for work, freedom, religion, politics, auto didacticism and creation of art under oppressive regime (Tsardom of Russia). The background is 15th Century Russia, a tumultuous period, and fighting between rival princess, Tatar invasions and growing forces of Byzantine Christianity. It also recalls that how medieval society were deeply religious, church influenced every aspect of people live from birth to death and how it ruled the rulers. Showing that religious leaders were as important as rulers.

Dourchka: Why’d you abuse us? Threatened to burn us in fire?

Rublev: Its Sin to walk around naked and all that

Dourchka: This is the night when everybody must love. Is love a sin?

The movie is 205 minutes long and anyone can think it as slow and boring. Though it is slow but has demanding and unconventional structure of plot as Tarkovsky was known for. Most episodes are depicted form the mind of Tarkovsky’s imagination. It has most beautiful, mesmerizing visual ever on screen in my opinion. It is collection of 8 mini stories or 8 chapters named as The Jester, Theophanes the Greek, The Passion, The Holiday, The Last Judgment, The Raid, Silence and The Bell. All chapters are masterpiece in their own way but my personal favourite was the third one, ‘The Passion’ in which Andrei and Theophanes (Greek artist and mentor of Rublev) argue about religion:

Theophanes: The last judgment is coming. We will all burn out like candles. And lay the blame to each others door. And try to embellish ourselves to Almighty.

Rublev: How can you paint being in this frame of mind? And you accept praises. Id have taken vows of schema and live in a cave.

Theophanes: I serve God not men. They praise you today and vilify tomorrow. The next day they’ll forget why they praised you. They’ll forget you and me and everything. Everything is vanity and decay. All follies and vile deeds were committed in the past and men are only repeating them now. If Jesus came again, they would crucify him again.

Rublev: If you only remember evil things, you will never be happy before God. Maybe you should forget somethings, not all. I dont know how to say it.

Theophanes: Don’t say it then. Listen to me.

Rublev: Do you think you can do good single-handed?

Theophanes: Do good? Do you remember the New Testament? Jesus collected men in temples and taught them. Later they came to kill him. “Crucify him!” they cried. And his disciples? Judas betrayed him, Peter denied him. They all fled and they were the best of best.

Rublev: But they repented

Theophanes: Yes when it was too late

The movie has profoundly affected its viewers. It is beautiful, mystical and has inspiring aesthetics. It must be watched alone, without any disturbance. Its way to philosophical. Stalker (1979) was my first movie of Tarkovsky that I watched and I thought nothing would be better than it but the geniuses of Tarkovsky proved me wrong. His style of making the movie is peerless, long takes, poetic narration, childhood memories, running water, levitation, rain, fire, and characters re-appearing in the foreground of long panning movements of the camera.

It now brings us to the message of the movie. Right? Every viewer might bring different theory. What I gain is torment, suffering and dispute between Theophanes and Rublev. They both are talented and endeavors to bring people towards humanity. Theophanes says, “Common people live in darkness, they are completely consumed by sin and the only way to make them humans is to scare them and punish them. Whereas Rublev advocates for love and says, “People lives are very difficult, its amazing how they endure it. We have to love them, to remind them, that they are humans, they are Russians.” The most inspiring character is Kirril, icon painter and wandering friend of Rublev and Daniil, who lacks talent as painter though, but still strives to achieve prominence. He is Jealous, self-righteous and intelligent. Theophanes is inspired by his philosophical erudition and invites him to work for him as apprentice on the decoration of Cathedral of the Annunciation, but he refuses and then accepts on one condition, that Theophanes will invite him in front of all Andronikov Monastery. His condition was made just to degrade Andrie Rublev, who was renowned at that time. And then a messenger arrives and ask the assistance of Andrei Rublev instead of Kirril. Kirril became agitated, left the monastery and beat his dog to death.

“It’s only through praying that your heart can come from visible to the invisible,” Rublev says.

The writer can be reached at saqlainali878@gmail.com