Anthony Briggs
Izbavi Bog i nas ot etakikh sudei
A few weeks ago something strange happened. Someone sent me, through the post, ten million printed words – I’ll repeat that, in case you weren’t concentrating: ten million words – nearly half of them in a difficult foreign language. I was told to get reading them.
A few weeks ago something strange happened. Someone sent me, through the post, ten million printed words – I’ll repeat that, in case you weren’t concentrating: ten million words – nearly half of them in a difficult foreign language. I was told to get reading them.
Review of 'Simple Things'
By Matthew Bown
MOVIE SPOILER ALERT. Yesterday I viewed the film Simple Things (Простые Вещи) by director/scriptwriter Alexei Popogrebsky at the Russian film festival in London. It's a good piece of kitchen-sink naturalism, which moves at a more leisurely pace than I think any US or UK movie would attempt.
MOVIE SPOILER ALERT. Yesterday I viewed the film Simple Things (Простые Вещи) by director/scriptwriter Alexei Popogrebsky at the Russian film festival in London. It's a good piece of kitchen-sink naturalism, which moves at a more leisurely pace than I think any US or UK movie would attempt.
Russian Success at Cannes 2008
May 2008
Cannes, France
It seems that for Russian cinema, good things come in threes: the Russian film industry suitably showcased at the first ever Russian film pavilion; leading Russian production and distribution companies present their best creations at the International Marché du Film; and stunning triumphs for first-time feature film directors Sergei Dvortsevoy and Valeria Gai-Germanika!
Cannes, France
It seems that for Russian cinema, good things come in threes: the Russian film industry suitably showcased at the first ever Russian film pavilion; leading Russian production and distribution companies present their best creations at the International Marché du Film; and stunning triumphs for first-time feature film directors Sergei Dvortsevoy and Valeria Gai-Germanika!
The Sacred Book of the Werewolf
by Victor Pelevin
Translated by Andrew Bromfield
Faber and Faber, 2008, pp.333
Described as "the Zen Buddhist Will Self of the former Evil Empire", Victor Pelevin is a star of contemporary Russian literature. The Sacred Book Of The Werewolf is an extraordinarily accomplished piece of contemporary writing that mashes up an assortment of genres: horror, humour, romance, fantasy, satire and post-modern self-reflexivity and sampling. The result is something that has to be classified as "high" literature, if only because of its entanglings in and borrowings from the work of Vladimir Nabokov and its deadly serious critique of contemporary Russian society under Putin.
Translated by Andrew Bromfield
Faber and Faber, 2008, pp.333
Described as "the Zen Buddhist Will Self of the former Evil Empire", Victor Pelevin is a star of contemporary Russian literature. The Sacred Book Of The Werewolf is an extraordinarily accomplished piece of contemporary writing that mashes up an assortment of genres: horror, humour, romance, fantasy, satire and post-modern self-reflexivity and sampling. The result is something that has to be classified as "high" literature, if only because of its entanglings in and borrowings from the work of Vladimir Nabokov and its deadly serious critique of contemporary Russian society under Putin.
Do Time Get Time
by Andrei Rubanov
Translated by Andrew Bromfield
Old Street Publishing; August 2008; pp.521
Twenty-seven-year-old Andrei always knew his shady business dealings could get him into trouble. But aside from the odd scam or tax fiddle, he'd never done anything seriously wrong; nothing that thousands of other Russian businessmen weren't doing every day. And so he agreed to be the fall guy for his boss when things went wrong.
Translated by Andrew Bromfield
Old Street Publishing; August 2008; pp.521
Twenty-seven-year-old Andrei always knew his shady business dealings could get him into trouble. But aside from the odd scam or tax fiddle, he'd never done anything seriously wrong; nothing that thousands of other Russian businessmen weren't doing every day. And so he agreed to be the fall guy for his boss when things went wrong.
Review of 'Simple Things'
By Matthew Bown
MOVIE SPOILER ALERT. Yesterday I viewed the film Simple Things (Простые Вещи) by director/scriptwriter Alexei Popogrebsky at the Russian film festival in London. It's a good piece of kitchen-sink naturalism, which moves at a more leisurely pace than I think any US or UK movie would attempt.
MOVIE SPOILER ALERT. Yesterday I viewed the film Simple Things (Простые Вещи) by director/scriptwriter Alexei Popogrebsky at the Russian film festival in London. It's a good piece of kitchen-sink naturalism, which moves at a more leisurely pace than I think any US or UK movie would attempt.
Review of 'Simple Things'
By Matthew Bown
MOVIE SPOILER ALERT. Yesterday I viewed the film Simple Things (Простые Вещи) by director/scriptwriter Alexei Popogrebsky at the Russian film festival in London. It's a good piece of kitchen-sink naturalism, which moves at a more leisurely pace than I think any US or UK movie would attempt.
MOVIE SPOILER ALERT. Yesterday I viewed the film Simple Things (Простые Вещи) by director/scriptwriter Alexei Popogrebsky at the Russian film festival in London. It's a good piece of kitchen-sink naturalism, which moves at a more leisurely pace than I think any US or UK movie would attempt.
A Melody for German
Russia, 2008, 26 min
Dir. Ivan Bolotnikov
A documentary film about an outstanding Russian filmmaker Alexei German. An honest and informal narrative told by the filmmaker about his life, his films and things that trouble him.
Dir. Ivan Bolotnikov
A documentary film about an outstanding Russian filmmaker Alexei German. An honest and informal narrative told by the filmmaker about his life, his films and things that trouble him.
Rossica 1
Hermitage Rooms in London
Art moves in mysterious ways. Works of art travel through the world, weaving it with invisible threads into one realm of culture. Seemingly random, their paths combine in strangely coherent patterns as if guided by some inner unseen Providence.
Art moves in mysterious ways. Works of art travel through the world, weaving it with invisible threads into one realm of culture. Seemingly random, their paths combine in strangely coherent patterns as if guided by some inner unseen Providence.
Rossica 6
Russian Nights
‘Russian Nights’ Festival is the largest, most ambitious and most varied festival of Russian culture ever to be staged in London. It brings a remarkable range of music and theatre, painting and poetry, photography and architecture to the capital.
‘Russian Nights’ Festival is the largest, most ambitious and most varied festival of Russian culture ever to be staged in London. It brings a remarkable range of music and theatre, painting and poetry, photography and architecture to the capital.
Rossica 1
Hermitage Rooms in London
Art moves in mysterious ways. Works of art travel through the world, weaving it with invisible threads into one realm of culture. Seemingly random, their paths combine in strangely coherent patterns as if guided by some inner unseen Providence.
Art moves in mysterious ways. Works of art travel through the world, weaving it with invisible threads into one realm of culture. Seemingly random, their paths combine in strangely coherent patterns as if guided by some inner unseen Providence.
Rossica 6
Russian Nights
‘Russian Nights’ Festival is the largest, most ambitious and most varied festival of Russian culture ever to be staged in London. It brings a remarkable range of music and theatre, painting and poetry, photography and architecture to the capital.
‘Russian Nights’ Festival is the largest, most ambitious and most varied festival of Russian culture ever to be staged in London. It brings a remarkable range of music and theatre, painting and poetry, photography and architecture to the capital.