Aleksandr+sokurov

Director Alexander Sokurov conducts comprehensive interviews with legendary conductor Mstislav Rostropovich and his soprano-singing wife Galina Vishnevskaya in this documentary.

How do you wage war with an enemy who surrounds you at all times but remains forever out of sight? This was the question raised by filmmaker Alexander Sokurov as he journeyed to the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border to interview the Russian soldiers trapped in a perpetual state of danger and desolation. As the weary soldiers await the arrival of an enemy who may never materialize, Sokurov embeds himself with them to offer one of the most unique and involved portrayals of military quandary ever committed to celluloid.

Alexander Sokurov’s Confession is like no other movie you will ever see. Visceral and at times brutal, it’s a livid illustration of the effects of monotony and oppression on the spirit. More than anything else, this haunting film presents a world of unremitting bleakness, a world of suppressed desires and unspoken despair.
Originally a five-part semi-documentary series on Russian television, this scaled down release tells the story of a Russian naval commander in charge of an Arctic-based ship. The film reveals the daily duties associated with the ship, but it is really about solitude and isolation. Voice-over narration by the commander, other sailors, and even a third-person voice provide the "confession" of the title.

Elegy of the Land contains two shorts by Alexander Sokurov about the significance of the land to Russia, where it has an almost spiritual meaning. Both films are embued with the director’s signature moody melancholy.

A father and his son live together in a roof-top apartment. They have lived alone for years in their own private world, full of memories and daily rites. Sometimes they seem like brothers. Sometimes even like lovers. Following in his father's path, Aleksei attends military school. He likes sports, tends to be irresponsible and has problems with his girlfriend. She is jealous of Aleksei's close relationship with his father. Despite knowing that all sons must one day live their own lives, Aleksei is conflicted; his father knows he should accept a better job in another city, perhaps search for a new wife, but who will ease the pain of Aleksei's nightmares?

A 19th century French aristocrat, notorious for his scathing memoirs about life in Russia, travels through the Russian State Hermitage Museum and encounters historical figures from the last 200+ years.

Family and friends gather in a decadent house to party. Despite their delusive distinction a raw passion for sex and violence comes to light.

Family and friends gather in a decadent house to party. Despite their delusive distinction a raw passion for sex and violence comes to light.