Saturday, 18 September 2021 19:00

Father and Son






FATHER AND SON

Russia, 2003, 83 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Alexander Sokhurov.

Aleksandr Sokurov began making films in Russia in 1975. He is a prolific director, not of the main stream, rather of art films and avant garde. In 1997 he made a film, Mother and Son. He now follows in 2003 with Father and Son. In the meantime he explored a great number of political themes including Molokh, The Sun (the former about Germany, the latter about Japan). He also did the experimental film of Russian Ark, a tour of the Hermitage Galleries in St Petersburg – a ninety-minute film with only one single take.

This film highlights the relationship between father and son, the intimacy that is there between a father and his adolescent son. They seem to live in a private world, but the son has to venture out, make strong relationships with both men and women, in the light of his experience with his father.

For some the film might be too poetic, beautifully photographed in Portugal, but sometimes elliptical and enigmatic. However, Sokurov is intense in his acclaim for fatherhood, the bonds between father and son.

1. The work of Sokurov, his reputation, themes, style, influence of Tarkovsky?

2. The Russian settings, the use of Lisbon as the European city? St Petersburg? The military base, the home, the roofs? The solemn musical score and the use of Tchaikovsky?

3. The title, indications of relationship, love and intimacy? Separation?

4. The opening and its meaning, the father and the son in embrace, reality, dream? The theme of protectiveness of the father for the son? The need eventually for letting go?

5. The military academy, the activity there, the son learning x-ray work, his father’s x-ray and lung injury, the visit of his father, exercises? The discussion with his girlfriend and her going with an older man?

6. Father and son at home? Their interactions, the ordinary things? The meal, the night, the roof?

7. Sokurov conveying the intensity of the relationship, the intense long takes with focus on faces, in silence? The audience having a chance to meditate?

8. The father’s story, his age, experience, the war, missions, going out of the army, his wound? His young son, devotion, trying to help him?

9. The son’s story, his relationship with his father, his needs?

10. The visitor and his search for his father, his disappearance? Seeing the town with the son?

11. The neighbour, the relationship with the son, his declaration of love for him? On the roof?

12. The girl, the son’s anger in the military base, seeing her at her home, the argument?

13. The balance on the roof, the talks, the risks? Silences and action?

14. A Russian way of presenting intimacy between father and son in a way not seen in western film? The initial temptation to think of the film as homoerotic – but the suggestion that the film was about homophilia, the love of father and son?