Sergei Parajanov: The Visual Virtuoso

Five years after our comprehensive retrospective of the films of Sergei Parajanov (1924–1990), we are presenting a small selection of the oeuvre of the director, artist, musician and author – this time around with a focus of his seldom-screened last two works and three short films. Born in Tbilisi to Armenian parents, which is where he also grew up, Parajanov is one of the most fascinating figures in 20th century cinema. He first studied singing and choreography in his city of birth and later attended the VGIK film school in Moscow, going on to work in Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan during the Soviet era. His films are imbued with the cultures, traditions, folklores and myths of these countries and captivate due to their singular power of expression, unmistakable originality, complex visual compositions and radically free cinematic form. Celebrated internationally as an outstanding filmmaker from the mid-60s onwards, Parajanov’s artistic daring and the cultural diversity expressed by his films was met with hostility in the Soviet Union. Interventions on the part of the censors were followed by fake trials, prison sentences and working bans. Two years after completing his final film and his first and last international trip with retrospectives in Rotterdam, Munich and Paris, Parajanov died in 1990.

A big thanks go to Irina Kurtishvili for her initiative and essential support in putting together the program. With the support of the Georgian National Film Center. (Milena Gregor)