Slavic Film Series: Leviathan (2014), dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Program in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies; Princeton Institute for Regional and International Studies
December 7, 2017 · 6:30 pm · 100 Jones Hall
Andrei Zvyagintsev’s Leviathan (2014), 141 min.
Shown in original language with English subtitles. Food will be served.
Fall 2017 Slavic Film Series: The Depth of Focus: Spatial Dissonance in Eurasian Cinema
Organized by Laura Christians, Slavic Languages and Literatures
Russia and the former Soviet Union are home to some of the most visually stunning locations in the world, so it is no surprise that film directors would choose these spaces as the settings for their films and devote much attention to their portrayals… The centrality of location as a theme in the films shown in this series leads the audience to ponder the significance of space as an artistic device, and also as social and cultural commentary. What is the relationship between geographic location and culture, language, and identity? How do the spaces that we occupy impact how we perceive and interact with the world? Do our locations define us? Do the inherent differences between regions render authentic communication across spatial borders impossible, or do overarching unifying traits break down these walls?
This series presents a collection of films, ranging from the 1920s to the present day, that touch on all of these questions. The various directors do not merely use location as the backdrops for their films, but they incorporate space as a cinematic device and a central theme.
