I haven’t seen many Soviet Era films, but so far this is the most memorable.
Filmed in 1969 by the eccentric Sergei Parajanov, it covers the life of a 15th Century Armenian poet, Sayat Nova, and oh my my this film is a feast for the eyes. It has a kind of deconstructed Wes Anderson meets Salvador Dali vibe to it, a lot of symbolism in both color and objects. It feels like less of a narrative than a series of animated still life paintings following the life of the poet from childhood to his death.
We follow the poet through his innocent childhood of discovering literature in the monastery and hanging around his parents rug weaving business. His loss of innocence follows with a coming of age segment where he becomes a poet/musician and falls in love with a women, a princess no less and way above his class. The actress Sofiko Chiaureli played 6 rolls including both the poet and his love interest. Finally they break off their impossible relationship and he spends his final years in a monastery, where he participates in baptisms, marriages and burials.
I made a gamble and purchased the Criterion Edition, which had a video essay covering the history and symbolism of the film. I’m not sure I would have been able to follow the narrative so closely had I not had that short video essay primed in my mind. There are historical narratives and references about the region of the Caucasus that were helpful to know with its unique Christian history and the influence of Turkey, Persia and Russia pressing against the region.
I was moved by the striking images, music and voice overs. It’s sober view of life reminds me a lot of the Dostoyevsky novels I’ve read. I really haven’t seen a film tell a story in such a stripped down visual way before. Learning a little about the director and the struggles he had with the Soviet censors, I am interested in discovering more of his films, and more Soviet Era cinema as well. It was an amazing experience. I’d watch it again.
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