Andrei Tarkovsky
Andrei Tarkovsky: A Life of Visionary Cinema
Full Name and Common Aliases
Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky was a renowned Russian filmmaker, often referred to as the "father of cinematic poetry." His full name is sometimes anglicized as Andrei Tarkovskiy or Andrei Arcadyevich Tarkovsky.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on April 4, 1932, in Zavrazhye, a small village near Yuryevets, Russia, Tarkovsky passed away on December 29, 1986, in Paris, France, after undergoing surgery for complications related to metastatic lung cancer.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Tarkovsky was of Russian descent and held dual nationality – Soviet and French. He is best known as a film director, but also experimented with writing, playwriting, and poetry during his career.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in the Soviet Union, Tarkovsky developed an early interest in art, literature, and philosophy. His father, Arseny Tarkovsky, was a poet and literary critic who had been imprisoned under Stalin's regime for "counter-revolutionary activities." This tumultuous family history would later influence his cinematic themes of spirituality, existentialism, and social critique.
As a child, Andrei suffered from dyslexia and was initially unable to learn reading and writing. However, he eventually found solace in drawing and painting, which led him to attend the Moscow Art School's Industrial Art Department at the age of 11. Later, Tarkovsky attended Moscow State University, where he studied literature and wrote his first play.
Major Accomplishments
Throughout his career, Tarkovsky directed seven feature films: Ivan's Childhood (1962), Andrei Rublev (1966), Solaris (1972), Mirror (1975), Stalker (1979), Nostalghia (1983), and The Sacrifice (1986). His films often explored the intersection of spirituality, philosophy, and human experience.
Some notable accomplishments include:
Winning the Golden Lion at the 1962 Venice Film Festival for Ivan's Childhood
Being awarded the Palme d'Or at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival for Mirror
Receiving an Honorary César Award in 1986 for his contribution to cinemaNotable Works or Actions
Tarkovsky's films are characterized by their:
Long, contemplative takes that encouraged viewers to reflect on the human condition
Experimentation with non-linear narrative structures and time manipulation
Use of symbolism, metaphor, and allegory to convey complex ideas
Exploration of themes such as spirituality, existentialism, and the search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world
Some notable quotes from Tarkovsky's writings and interviews highlight his approach to filmmaking:
> "Film is like a faith: it's not that you believe, but that you feel."
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> "A film should be made not thought out beforehand. It should be born on the screen."
Impact and Legacy
Tarkovsky's influence can be seen in many contemporary filmmakers, including Terrence Malick, Darren Aronofsky, and Lars von Trier. His unique approach to storytelling has also inspired artists from various disciplines – music, literature, dance, and visual arts.
Many of his films have become cult classics, with Stalker and Andrei Rublev consistently ranking among the greatest films of all time in international polls and rankings.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Tarkovsky's legacy as a visionary filmmaker is built on several factors:
His innovative filmmaking style, which blurred the lines between documentary and fiction
His exploration of profound themes that resonated with audiences worldwide
His commitment to artistic integrity, even in the face of censorship and pressure from Soviet authorities
Today, Tarkovsky's films continue to inspire new generations of artists, writers, and thinkers. His quotes on creativity, spirituality, and the human condition remain thought-provoking and insightful, offering a glimpse into his extraordinary vision and artistic spirit.
Quotes by Andrei Tarkovsky
Andrei Tarkovsky's insights on:
The director's task is to recreate life, its movement, its contradictions, its dynamic and conflicts. It is his duty to reveal every iota of the truth he has seen, even if not everyone finds that truth acceptable.
Objectivity can only be the author’s and therefore subjective, even if he is editing a newsreel.
I am becoming more and more convinced that there is something wrong with the way I live. Something false about everything I do. Even when I want to do something good; I feel that it’s only in order to seem a better person.
I believe in one thing: the human spirit is immortal and indestructible. In the beyond there could be anything, it is of no importance whatsoever. What we call death is not death. It’s a rebirth. A caterpillar becomes a cocoon. I think there is a life after death and it is that that is unnerving. It would be so much simpler to conceive of oneself as a telephone cord that is unplugged. Then you could live any way that you wanted. God would have no importance of any kind.
One doesn’t need a lot to be able to live. The great thing is to be free in your work. Ofcourse it’s important to print or exhibit, but if that’s not possible you are still left with the most important thing of all – being able to work without asking anybody’s permission.
A literary work can only be received through symbols, through concepts – for that is what words are; but cinema, like music, allows for utterly direct, emotional, sensuous perception of the work.
For many years I have been tormented by the certainty that the most extraordinary discoveries await us in the sphere of time. We know less about time than about anything else.
We all either underestimate each other, or else exaggerate each other’s virtues. Very few people are capable of assessing others as they deserve. It is a particular gift. In fact I would even say that only the great are capable of it.
A child doesn’t have to be a prodigy. The only thing that matters is that he should’t become ‘stuck’ in childishness.
History is not Time; nor is evolution. They are both consequences. Time is a state: the flame in which there lives the salamander of the human soul.