02.08.2012
Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Film Elena Premieres at the Mikhailovsky Theatre
In the beginning of the new season the Mikhailovsky Theatre will continue the tradition of showing films that express critical statement of the author and evoke large interest among the critics.
On 26 September, the Mikhailovsky Theatre will be showing the Russian premiere of the film Elena, laureate of multiple international festivals, directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev and produced by Alexander Rodnyansky and Sergey Melkumov.
Elena, Zvyagintsev’s third feature-length film, provoked a wide public response prior to its release. Even before shooting started, Andrey Zvyagintsev’s new film won the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award for Best Screenplay.
The film had its international premiere at the 64th Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Un Certain Regard award, a special prize conferred by the competition jury. Film director Emir Kusturica, who headed the jury this year, declared, “What a joy it is when a good film appears!”
Elena also won three awards at the Durban Film Festival in South Africa for Best Director, Best Female Role, and Best Photography. In early September, the film will be shown at the largest North American film festival in Toronto in the ‘Contemporary World Cinema’ programme, which selects what are deemed to be the most significant films from all over the world.
In Russia, Zvyagintsev’s film was shown at the closing ceremony of the Kinotavr Open Russian Film Festival. In addition, a special showing at the Moscow International Film Festival was a resounding success. Producer Alexander Rodnyansky took the unprecedented step of showing Elena twice in a row, since Dom Kino was unable to accommodate all those who wanted to see Zvyagintsev’s latest film.
International film critics have unanimously acclaimed the film. “Zvyagintsev’s third film is undeniably his most powerful work. The film is capacious, intelligent, funny and terrifying, accurate and relentless”, wrote film critic Anton Dolin. The Hollywood Reporter, America’s leading movie and film business magazine, called the film’s absence from the main competition in Cannes “a disgrace”. The author of the review noted that the Un Certain Regard prize was “obviously the film’s first stop in a long and successful festival career. Elena is one of the most successful films of 2011”. Meanwhile, the French newspaper Liberation stated that “Elena, which was shown at the closing ceremony of Un Certain Regard at Cannes, was one of the most astonishing phenomena of this year’s festival”.
According to the director, Elena is a film about destruction, about a personal apocalypse — a story that is simultaneously topical and eternal. The film will resonate with viewers who are prepared to see, on screen, social portraits of the contemporary society of which they themselves are a part.
The premiere at the Mikhailovsky Theatre will be attended by director Andrey Zvyagintsev, producers Alexander Rodnyansky and Sergei Melkumov, the stars of the film, and members of the crew.
The Moscow premiere will take place on 28 September, after which the film will go on general release.
On 26 September, the Mikhailovsky Theatre will be showing the Russian premiere of the film Elena, laureate of multiple international festivals, directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev and produced by Alexander Rodnyansky and Sergey Melkumov.
Elena, Zvyagintsev’s third feature-length film, provoked a wide public response prior to its release. Even before shooting started, Andrey Zvyagintsev’s new film won the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award for Best Screenplay.
The film had its international premiere at the 64th Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Un Certain Regard award, a special prize conferred by the competition jury. Film director Emir Kusturica, who headed the jury this year, declared, “What a joy it is when a good film appears!”
Elena also won three awards at the Durban Film Festival in South Africa for Best Director, Best Female Role, and Best Photography. In early September, the film will be shown at the largest North American film festival in Toronto in the ‘Contemporary World Cinema’ programme, which selects what are deemed to be the most significant films from all over the world.
In Russia, Zvyagintsev’s film was shown at the closing ceremony of the Kinotavr Open Russian Film Festival. In addition, a special showing at the Moscow International Film Festival was a resounding success. Producer Alexander Rodnyansky took the unprecedented step of showing Elena twice in a row, since Dom Kino was unable to accommodate all those who wanted to see Zvyagintsev’s latest film.
International film critics have unanimously acclaimed the film. “Zvyagintsev’s third film is undeniably his most powerful work. The film is capacious, intelligent, funny and terrifying, accurate and relentless”, wrote film critic Anton Dolin. The Hollywood Reporter, America’s leading movie and film business magazine, called the film’s absence from the main competition in Cannes “a disgrace”. The author of the review noted that the Un Certain Regard prize was “obviously the film’s first stop in a long and successful festival career. Elena is one of the most successful films of 2011”. Meanwhile, the French newspaper Liberation stated that “Elena, which was shown at the closing ceremony of Un Certain Regard at Cannes, was one of the most astonishing phenomena of this year’s festival”.
According to the director, Elena is a film about destruction, about a personal apocalypse — a story that is simultaneously topical and eternal. The film will resonate with viewers who are prepared to see, on screen, social portraits of the contemporary society of which they themselves are a part.
The premiere at the Mikhailovsky Theatre will be attended by director Andrey Zvyagintsev, producers Alexander Rodnyansky and Sergei Melkumov, the stars of the film, and members of the crew.
The Moscow premiere will take place on 28 September, after which the film will go on general release.
