Andrei Tarkovsky's Birthday
April 4, 2022 marks 90 years since the day when a son, Andrei, was born in the family of the poet and translator Arseny Alexandrovich Tarkovsky and Maria Ivanovna Vishnyakova. When Andrei was 3 years old, his father left the family, leaving his wife with two young children (Andrey's sister Marina was born in 1934). Mother got a job as a proofreader in a printing house, where she worked all her life until retirement.
Despite the fact that Maria Ivanovna raised two children alone, and even during the harsh war years, she was able to provide her son with a versatile education, which included, along with a regular school (in which he did not differ in diligence or good grades), a music and art school. After graduating from school in 1951, Andrei entered the Institute of Oriental Studies. It is difficult to say how the fate of Andrei Tarkovsky would have developed if he had not received a concussion during sport training. This concussion put him out of studies for a long period. During the break in his studies, he came to understand that oriental studies are not his path. Andrey left the institute and in May 1953 he enlisted as a simple worker on an expedition of the Central Scientific Research Geological Prospecting Institute of Non-Ferrous and Precious Metals to the distant Turukhansk region.
Tarkovsky reflected his impressions of the wild beauties of nature on the banks of the Kureika River in drawings, creating an entire album. But at the same time, he had a desire to capture the beauties he saw on film. From here came the intention to link his fate with cinema. Returning from the expedition in 1954, Andrei Arsenievich entered VGIK (All-Union State Institute of Cinematography). Tarkovsky's teacher at VGIK was Mikhail Ilyich Romm ("Nine Days of One Year"). In 1960 Andrei Tarkovsky graduated from VGIK with honors.
In 1962, Andrei Tarkovsky made his first full-length feature film, "Ivan's Childhood". The first film brought the 30-year-old director an international triumph in the form of the main prize of the Venice International Film Festival - the Golden Lion.
I foresee that for someone the word "genius" in the title of this article will cause a sharp rejection. Let me explain the validity of this particular definition in relation to Andrei Tarkovsky. The thing is that Andrei Arsenievich was destined by fate (or God) to create 7 full-length feature films. Only 7 in a quarter of a century of creative activity! And all 7 (100%!) entered the Golden Thousand! No other film director in the world has achieved such a mark! Yes, there are filmmakers represented in the Golden Thousand with 10, and even 15 films. For example, Akira Kurosawa and Ingmar Bergman. But they also made more than 30 pictures in their nearly 90-year lives. That is, they allowed themselves to "rest" or "cheat" on some movies. And only Tarkovsky on each film gave his all entirely. This is why he burned out ahead of schedule.
The international recognition of Andrei Tarkovsky's genius is evidenced by 27 film awards, including 9 prizes of various merits at the Cannes International Film Festival, 2 awards of the Italian Film Academy David di Donatello, the BAFTA Award of the British Film Academy, the Golden Lion of the Venice Film Festival mentioned above. Only the native Fatherland, as a belated recognition of the monstrous underestimation of the genius of its citizen, awarded Andrei Tarkovsky its highest award - the Lenin Prize. Posthumously. And that's all. Another confirmation of the validity of the saying "There is no prophet in the Homeland."
Andrei Arsenievich Tarkovsky is included in the list of the 100 greatest directors of world cinema, compiled by FilmGourmand. In this list, Tarkovsky occupies the highest place of all Russian-speaking directors.
In commemoration of the round date from the birthday of the brilliant director, I would like to remind all fans of his work the frames from the films he created.
