Alexandra

With a philosophical take on history andnature, and an emphasis on aesthetics, directorAlexander Sokurov made film history in 2002with “Russian Ark”, where he moved through200 years of Russian history in one 96-minutelong take from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.Whether functioning as passive scenery or anactive story element – Russia’s past, presentand future always play the main role in Sokurov’sfilms. In graceful and melancholic “Alexandra”,Russia is embodied by an old grandmother.Played by majestic Russian soprano starGalina Vishnevskaya, the grandmother travelsto an army base in Chechnya to see her longlost grandson, now a successful officer. Due todisturbances in the region, she can only stay fora few days – days that change her view of hergrandson and her view of human behavior when she discovers a world lacking warmth, comfort,and human feeling. In this harsh environment, agrandmother’s stubborn and clear gaze on thestupidity of war lights a ray of hope and shakesthe army base in a healthy way.

Premiere Status
Swedish Premiere: Orig. title
Aleksandra: Cast
Galina Vishnevskaya, Vasily Shevtsov, Raisa Gichaeva: Producer
Laurent Danielou, Andrei Sigle: Script
Aleksandr Sokurov: Cinematography
Aleksandr Burov: Music
Andrei Sigle: Spoken language
Russian