“THE INTERTWINING OF TWO VOICES…”
                         
“Dvukh Golosov Pereklichka…”

A unique opportunity to meet Marina Tarkovskaya – guardian of the cultural inheritance of the Tarkovsky family.

The great Russian poet - Arseny Tarkovsky would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year, and his son Andrei Tarkovsky – an undisputed master of world cinema – his 75th.. History is not inundated with examples of great fathers and sons. Luckily, for every rule there is an exception.

Marina Tarkovskay is an author of two remarkable books – “About Tarkovsky” and “Fragments of the mirror” - which have been translated into many European languages. She is a dedicated custodian of her family’s traditions, as well as an inspiring commentator on her father’s poetry.

The first evening is dedicated to Arseny Tarkovsky – Wed. 5th December, at 7pm.

Arseny Tarkovsky is often called the last poet of the Silver Age. Anna Akhmatova named him the most prominent poet of his time.  Marina Tsvetaeva’s last poem is addressed to Tarkovsky’s “Table is Laid for Six…”
Arseny Tarkovsky rarely put dates to his poems, regarding poetry as eternal. Thorough research in this area was made by Marina. With deep understanding she places together “the fragments of the mirror” – the fragments of real life that inevitably interweave with the alchemic creative process of a poet, so preserving for future generations the true image of an artist. She has identified many of his mysterious dedications.

Also participating in this event will be the distinguished English poets and translators – Kitty Hunter-Blair, Robert Chandler and Richard McKane.

The second evening is dedicated to Andrei Tarkovsky – Thu. 6th December, at 7 pm.

Marina Tarkovskaya will share her memories of her brother Andrei, which are vividly captured in Tarkovsky’s autobiographical and breathtaking film “Mirror”. She will talk about their difficult childhood during the war; Andrei’s relationship with his mother, to whom he is forever indebted for becoming an artist; and his relationship with his father, who had a tremendous influence on his films.

Aleksandr Gordon – a film director who studied alongside Tarkovsky at VGIK (the State Film Institute) - will talk about Andrei’s student years, his promising and exciting career, and his clashes with the Soviet film authorities.

Layla Alexander-Garrett worked as an interpreter on Tarkovsky’s last and the most enigmatic film “The Sacrifice”. In 1986 the screening of “The Sacrifice” at Cannes Film Festival coincided with the catastrophe at Chernobyl’s nuclear reactor. The critics claimed that Tarkovsky had foreseen the nuclear disaster. 

Pushkin House, 5A Bloomsbury Sq., London WC1, tel., 0207 269 97 70
                                www.pushkinhouse.org.uk

5-6 December 2007, 7 pm – Drinks Reception, 7:45 - Talks

Tickets: £10 (£7 Friends of Pushkin House)