Andrei Tarkovsky

Who was Andrei Tarkovsky?

Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky was a Soviet and Russian film-maker, writer, film editor, film theorist, theatre and opera director.

Tarkovsky's films include Ivan's Childhood, Andrei Rublev, Solaris, The Mirror, and Stalker. He directed the first five of his seven feature films in the Soviet Union; his last two films, Nostalghia and The Sacrifice, were produced in Italy and Sweden, respectively. His work is characterized by spirituality and metaphysical themes, long takes, lack of conventional dramatic structure, and distinctively authored use of cinematography. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest film-makers of all time. Ingmar Bergman said of Tarkovsky:

"Tarkovsky for me is the greatest, the one who invented a new language, true to the nature of film, as it captures life as a reflection, life as a dream."