DEFENCE COUNSEL SEDOV

20/03/2014.

special-event-defence-counsel-sedov-mar-20thThree Films from the USSR introduced and discussed by John Riley:

DEFENCE COUNSEL SEDOV
Bafta-winning, but more or less forgotten Soviet gem. Defence Counsel Sedov is a well known title, but rarely screened.
“Just when you thought glasnost had allowed Soviet film-makers to say all there was to say about the horrors of the Stalin years, along comes this astonishing short feature (based on fact) to peel away more layers of the onion” – Tony Rayns, Time Out.
Dir: Evgeniy Tsymbal 45 mins USSR 1988

MARIYA
USSR, 1988, 40 mins
Directed by Aleksandr Sokurov.

SONATA FOR HITLER
USSR, 1989, 10 mins
Directed by Aleksandr Sokurov.

Sokurov is still an active filmmaker. He became known in the UK in 2003 for Russian Ark, a pageant of Russian history shot in one take.

These films will be introduced and discussed by our returning Russian films expert, John Riley.

Programme Notes

SPECIAL EVENT

Three Films from the USSR

introduced and discussed by John Riley

John Riley has visited ABCD several times since 2002, introducing Russian films as various as The Cranes Are Flying, Ivan the Terrible, and Grigori Kozintzev’s 1957 Don Quixote. He is the author of ‘Discover Film Music’ and ‘Dmitri Shostakovich: A Life in Film’. He blogs at .

Defence Counsel Sedov is a well known title, but rarely screened. Sokurov is still an active filmmaker. He became known in the UK in 2003 for Russian Ark, a pageant of Russian history shot in one take.

DEFENCE COUNSEL SEDOV
USSR 1988, 45 mins

Directed by – Evgeniy Tsymbal
Story by – Ilya Zveryov
Music – Vadim Khrapachyov
Production Design – Evgeniy Chernyaev
Writer – Mariya Zvereva
Cinematography – Vladimir Shevtsik
Editor – Eleonora Praksina

Won 1989 BAFTA for best short film.

MARIYA
USSR, 1988, 40 mins

Directed by – Aleksandr Sokurov
Editor – Leda Semyonov
Music – Gennadi Rozhdestvensky
Cinematography – Aleksandr Burov
Sound – Mikhaeil Podtukai

SONATA FOR HITLER
USSR, 1989, 10 mins

Directed by – Aleksandr Sokurov

further credits unavailable, except for “Adolf Hitler played by himself” (imdb.com)

Comments

SONATA FOR HITLER (short)

“A scream of horror at what happened all those years ago.”

“Good archive footage but the music somewhat incongruous and harsh.”

“A peculiar piece”

“Turgid”

MARIA (short)

“Fascinating documentary”

“Interesting documentary footage but the last 20mins were rather mournful and soporific, Michael Grigsby-like. Did they run out of colour filmstock?”

“Turgid”

DEFENCE COUNSEL SEDOV (feature)

“Grateful to Society for showing such an interesting programme and getting the speaker.”

“An insight into that era but how did people exist in such a world? Exist …. ?”

“Three short films that made one feel uncomfortable in one way or another. Sedov quite disturbing and harrowing. However, quite a fascinating insight.”

“Interesting and worthwhile”

“A great period piece, although it made me wonder when Ch4 last broadcast Russian shorts. An interesting evening.”

“Historically interesting but hard work.”

“Interesting rather than impressive – very Orwellian.”

“So there was corruption in the Russian legal system, too! (If we must have a Russian film, could we have Russian Ark?)”

“Interesting! The other films less so.”

“Poor visual and sound quality made it difficult to judge the director’s intentions.”

“I had great trouble staying awake through these films, so cannot really comment on any of them.”

“What were you thinking? As usual, couldn’t hear the questions from members at the front, so John Riley’s answers didn’t make sense.”

“Can we have some of the heat back, please?”

Scores

A:15, B:11, C:5, D:1, E:0 to give 81%