IVAN’S CHILDHOOD

Russia, 1962, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Kolya Burlyayev.
Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky.

Ivan’s Childhood is the first feature film by celebrated director Andrei Tarkovsky. He made some short films and took over this film to complete it from the original director. The screenplay was written by novelist Vladimir Bogomolov.

The film won the Golden Lion in Venice in 1962 – although Tarkovsky himself did not consider it one of his major works (since he did not write the screenplay and inherited the project).

Tarkovsky went on to be one of the most famous directors of the second half of the 20th century, especially with Andrei Rublev, as well as Solares, Stalker, Mirror, Nostalghia and his final film, The Sacrifice, which won four awards at the Cannes film festival.

Ivan’s Childhood is a moving film about war, seen through the eyes of a young child, twelve years old, who has seen his parents and his sister killed. However, the film is a blend of fantasy, memory, idyllic scenes of happy childhood along with dreams and nightmares. It also shows the young boy, wanting revenge on the Germans for the death of his parents, swimming across the river, going to the Russian soldiers, speaking strongly to them, not wanting to go to military school but going on scouting expeditions to bring back information.

There are many memorable scenes in the fine black and white photography, especially in the dream sequences. There is a sudden shift towards the end of the film which brings the audience to Berlin, at the fall of Nazism, especially focusing on the death of Doctor Goebbels’ children, poisoned by their mother Magda. To that extent, the film bridges the gap between Russians and Germans through dead children. (The young actor also appeared in a Bell sequence in Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev.

1.The impact of this film? As a first feature film by Tarkovsky? The beginnings of his visual style. Philosophical exploration of the meaning of life? Storytelling, poetry? His winning the Golden Lion?

2.Tarkovsky, his reputation, as a genius, as a master film-maker, as a deep philosopher?

3.The quality of the black and white photography, the monochrome and light of the childhood sequences, the darkness of the war sequences? The use of black and white footage for the war and for Berlin? The musical score?

4.The audience’s response to the blend of reality, dream, fantasy, nightmare, memories, nostalgia?

5.The young boy and his performance, bringing Ivan to life? The opening, light, playing, delight, the images of water? Happiness? His mother?

6.World War Two and the experience in Russia, the German invasion, the ruthlessness of the German soldiers, the murder of Ivan’s parents and sister? The Russian response? The eastern front? The troops, the bunkers, the scouting expeditions? The bombs, the flares at night, the difficult terrain?

7.Ivan, the death of his parents, the images of the well, the drops of rain, his swimming through the river, going to troops, his arrival, his fear and lack of fear, the soldiers’ suspicions, washing him, the food, his being with them, not wanting to go to military school? Wanting action, weeping – but not sadness, but energy and intention? Going into action, the scouting expeditions? His leaving, going into the forest? The marshes? The birch forest?

8.The portrait of the soldiers, the young men, their abilities, fighting, looking after Ivan, sending him out? The visit of the superior officer? His being against what Ivan was doing? His having to accede to this? The later scenes of the staircase, the hanged men? The sombre fate of the soldiers?

9.The image of the woman, a female presence? Her part in the war? With Ivan? The apple truck? The memories of his mother, sister?

10.The transition to Berlin, the change of scope, the bunker, the bombs, the civilians, the military, Hitler and his death, the end of the war? The Russian takeover? The Goebbels children? Their being led out? Symbol of war, death and childhood?

11.The themes of war, the minimalist presentation of war, bombs, flares? Children and death?

12.The finale – happiness, beauty, sunlight, memories, what might have been? Nostalgia? Combined with the soldiers finding the photo of Ivan amongst the rubble in Berlin?