The theme for the 2022 Manchester Film Weekender is Russian cinema. The dates are Friday 4th February - Sunday 6th February 2022.
This short festival of Russian language film introduces the influential work of a nation that has a giant presence, both geographically and cinematically.
Over the course of the weekend seven films will be screened at Altrincham Little Theatre, the first at 7.15pm on Friday evening, three further films on Saturday and three more on Sunday.
The programme takes a selective journey through the changing landscape of Russian cinema, from the Soviet era to today, a landscape of film form and innovation, emotion and nostalgia, and harsh realities. Over three days the festival showcases a sample of the varieties of Russian film, stretching from Dziga Vertov’s groundbreaking silent city symphony Man With A Movie Camera (one of Sight & Sound’s all-time top 10 films), to Yuri Bykov’s less well-known The Fool, a scathing contemporary morality play about modern corruption. En route, encounter magic and fairy tales, one of the USSR’s greatest female filmmakers, cult black comedy, Oscar winning period drama, and a seminal work from Russia’s most celebrated cinematic poet, Andrei Tarkovsky.
All films will be followed by breaks where coffee and biscuits are served and discussion of the films can take place. There will be lunch breaks on Saturday and Sunday. Scroll down to see more information about timings.
The weekend will be led by our guest speaker Suzy Mangion, a freelance film historian who has taught Film Studies at the University of Manchester. The speaker will introduce the films and lead the post-screening discussions.
Pricing: the full programme costs £30.00, any 5 films are £25.00 and any three films £18.00. Individual films will be £7.00. The first film on Saturday morning, Morozoko (Frosty) is free for children of any age accompanied by an adult.
PROGRAMME
Friday 4 February
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Man with a Movie Camera (1929)
Director: Dziga VertovVoted one of the ten best films ever made in the Sight and Sound Poll 2012
Saturday 5 February
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Ivan’s Childhood (1962)
Director: Andrei TarkovskyAndrei Tarkovsky’s first feature film is regarded as one of the most cinematic debuts
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Burnt by the Sun (1994)
Director: Nikita MikhalkovOscar winner for best film in a foreign language at the 1995 Academy Awards
Sunday 6 February
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Wings (1966)
Director: Larisa ShepitkoAn understated, rich portrait of a woman forced to reconsider her values and her past life
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Brother (1997)
Director: Aleksei BalabanovAn ex-soldier with a personal honour code enters the family crime business in St Petersburg
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The Fool (2014)
Director: Yuri BykovDima Nitkin is an honest, ordinary plumber who decides to face the corrupt system of local politics
The timetable for the weekend is as follows - timings are approximate but give an idea of how the weekend will run.
Friday 4th - theatre opens at 6.45pm
Introduction to Man with a Movie Camera 7.15pm
Screening 7.45pm
9.00pm coffee/tea and discussion
Saturday 5th - theatre opens at 10.00am
Introduction to Morozoko (Frosty) 10.30am
Screening 10.45am
Discussion 12.30pm
Lunch 1.00pm
Introduction to Ivan’s Childhood 2.00pm
Screening 2.15pm
Discussion with Tea/Coffee 3.45pm
Introduction to Burnt by the Sun 4.15pm
Screening 4.30pm
Discussion 6.45pm
Close at 7.30pm
Sunday 6th - theatre opens at 10.00am
Introduction to Wings 10.30am
Screening @ 10.45am
Discussion 12.15pm
Lunch 12.45
Introduction to Brother 1.45pm
Screening 2.00pm
Break for coffee 3.45pm
Introduction to The Fool 4.15pm
Screening 4.30pm
Discussion 6.30pm Brother and The Fool
Close 7.30pm
