06.08.2012
Rustam Khamdamov’s Film, Diamonds, Premieres at the Mikhailovsky Theatre
On 15 July, the premiere of the film Diamonds took place at the Mikhailovsky Theatre. Filmmaker Rustam Khamdamov, producer and art director of Diamonds, has a completely unique position in the arts.
Some of Khamdamov’s film works have hardly reached viewers at all: in some cases, the picture was washed out; in others the film was lost or confiscated by the producers. Still, they are recognized as a unique phenomenon in the cinematic arts. It’s no wonder people call Khamdamov a legend: he is the first living Russian artist in history to have his works added to the Gallery of Modern Art at the Hermitage.
The short subject film Diamonds, with Diana Vishneva and Renata Litvinova in the lead roles, was shot last spring in St. Petersburg. In September 2010, the picture was entered in the Horizons experimental film contest at the Venice Film Festival. In the film, which is similar in style to a silent movie, the ballet scenes have an especially important role: Diana Vishneva’s heroine, who has stolen a diamond brooch, is a dancer in a corps de ballet. The ballerina talked in an interview about her impressions. “I was part of a corps de ballet for the first time; I had never gone through that before. So that was an experience, to have to stand all together and do everything the same way. But that’s film for you!”
The ballet scenes were produced and shot in full at the Mikhailovsky Theatre. The Grand Pas Classique from La Bayadère — the famous “Shades” scene — was prepared for the film by the Mikhailovsky Theatre’s ballet master and répétiteur, People’s Artist of the USSR Nikita Dolgushin. He made a few changes to Marius Petipa’s classic choreography, which were required by the film’s story line. The Mikhailovsky Theatre’s female corps de ballet took part in the filming.
Some of Khamdamov’s film works have hardly reached viewers at all: in some cases, the picture was washed out; in others the film was lost or confiscated by the producers. Still, they are recognized as a unique phenomenon in the cinematic arts. It’s no wonder people call Khamdamov a legend: he is the first living Russian artist in history to have his works added to the Gallery of Modern Art at the Hermitage.
The short subject film Diamonds, with Diana Vishneva and Renata Litvinova in the lead roles, was shot last spring in St. Petersburg. In September 2010, the picture was entered in the Horizons experimental film contest at the Venice Film Festival. In the film, which is similar in style to a silent movie, the ballet scenes have an especially important role: Diana Vishneva’s heroine, who has stolen a diamond brooch, is a dancer in a corps de ballet. The ballerina talked in an interview about her impressions. “I was part of a corps de ballet for the first time; I had never gone through that before. So that was an experience, to have to stand all together and do everything the same way. But that’s film for you!”
The ballet scenes were produced and shot in full at the Mikhailovsky Theatre. The Grand Pas Classique from La Bayadère — the famous “Shades” scene — was prepared for the film by the Mikhailovsky Theatre’s ballet master and répétiteur, People’s Artist of the USSR Nikita Dolgushin. He made a few changes to Marius Petipa’s classic choreography, which were required by the film’s story line. The Mikhailovsky Theatre’s female corps de ballet took part in the filming.
