"Russian Ark" the journey through Russian history and culture shot in the Hermitage museum in one take

   Russia has a long and golden history of creating cutting edge films, inventing new camera techniques, painterly lighting, and perfectly composed shots.  One of our favorites is Alexander Sokurov's "Russian Ark".  A journey through St. Petersburg's Hermitage Museum, formerly the Winter Palace of the Tsars, shot in one day without a single camera break. "An unnamed and unseen filmmaker finds himself in the Hermitage museum in St Petersburg in what appears to be the 18th Century. No one seems to be able to see him except his travelling companion, Frenchman Marquis de Custine, who he talks to. Together the two of them go around the museum, flitting between time as they go, gradually covered 300 years of Russian history."

  The visitors follow a group of party goers, glimpsing pieces of history as they live through the art in the museum, as well as the lives of the people who inhabited the palace.  Catherine the Great laughs uproariously at a play, while sailors of Battleship Potemkin stare at the painting depicting their demise.  Tsar Alexander holds a royal ball, while a group of fairy-angels hover over the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II and his family, because "they will soon be dead and will need comfort."

   Utterly astonishing in scope and technicality, it does require a bit of Russian History to really understand.  But fear not, my lovely ones, it is still a stunningly beautiful film even for someone who knows nothing about Russia.  Its beauty and nostalgia will creep into your soul, and perhaps this will give you the first small understanding of just one piece of the Russian mind.