Την περίοδο που ολοκλήρωνε την ταινία, ο Σοκούροφ είχε δώσει την ακόλουθη συνέντευξη στο BBC.
Sokurov on the "Faust", the degradation of culture and city on the Neva
"Putin asked us to stay within the Russian finance to" Faust "was the Russian national project"
Alexander Sokurov
Renowned Russian director Alexander Sokurov completes work on the film "Faust." It is planned that will premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September this year.
As conceived by the director, a new film - the final part of the tetralogy, which includes the previously taken pictures of "Moloch" (about Hitler), Taurus (on Lenin) and "The Sun" (the Japanese Emperor Hirohito).
With Alexander Sokurov Russian Service correspondent interviewed BBC Valery Pankrashin.
Aleksandr Sokurov: The work on "Faust" is almost complete. Everything that depended on the director, has already been done. The remaining stages of the translation to film. This process will we do in London, where he now works as our operator Bruno Delbonnel and tsvetokorrektirovschik Peter Dole.
BBC: This year in London is a large Russian kinosezon. British Film Institute (BFI) has decided to show a retrospective of Soviet film classics and the best samples of modern Russian cinema. A separate program will be dedicated to your creativity.
AS: Yes, it will be a retrospective of my films. But I do not know whether the British Institute of overpowers the whole program, because we have a lot of pictures ... I hope that will be shown and "Faust."
"For me, the very participation in competitions uncomfortable. It seems to me that the modern competitive system has long outlived itself"
BBC: It's been reported that the money for the completion of the film is missing?
AS: The financial problems at the moment as we speak, were and still are. Film producer Andrei Sigle continues to seek funds to complete the work. We hope that Andrew will do whatever is necessary, and in late June on a film version of the painting will be ready. I'd like to see the painting was shown in Venice, though I am not a supporter of competitive participation. But I understand that it is necessary to producers - to promote the picture. But for me the participation in competitions uncomfortable. It seems to me that the modern competitive system has long outlived itself. Changed cinematic public policy has changed the formation of the jury, the work of the press. But the festival needed as the start of motion of the film to the viewer.
For me the movie rental is important, though, because I want to support an already existing tradition. "Faust" - is the fourth part of the tetralogy and tetralogy all the movies previously shown in many countries. I would like to see a fourth picture, too, appear. Especially because it was taken in Europe with the participation of European actors and in German. "Faust" this European paintings and European audience, it can not be a stranger, because it's European history, and psychophysics of European culture.
On the film "Faust"
BBC: All the old movies tetralogy were devoted to actual historical personages. Why do you complete tetralogy semi-mythical character?
AS: In our film, Faust is not a mythical character, but a living person. Goethe's Faust - one of the most famous works in the literary and human history of mankind, and his characters, of course, the mythological.
BBC: But what is the connection to Hitler, Lenin, Hirohito?
AS: Direct contact. Please see the movie. We are talking about the fact that viewers have not seen yet, and that has been created in order to see. I'm sure - all will become clear.
BBC: you create a film along with writer Yuri Arabov. Will there be deviations from Goethe?
A.: A script Yuri Arabs wrote in Russian. The film was made in German. Adapting from Russian into German, inevitably leads to major changes in the drama, and the content side. Another language - is a new world, new relationships, brand new characters, new meanings. And of course in adapting to the German language, we went back to Goethe. But in addition "to Goethe, we have introduced in the film are some simple explanatory line. For example, a new character - the father of Faust, which Goethe there. It is needed to clarify the history of Doctor Faustus as a man.
If after watching this film people will want to read Goethe, it will be for me the greatest gift.
BBC: Another startup in the production of the film "Faust" at the 2009th, the project supported by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ...
AS: I do not deny it. And the fund, which gave us the means to the film, has received support from Putin. And Putin has asked us to stay within the Russian finance to "Faust" was the Russian national project, as it were, a sign of love and attention to European culture. In a crisis, without government support, we would never have started work on "Faust."
Of course, I was surprised that such assistance has been provided. I think that the aesthetic preferences of Putin does not apply to my style and the content of my work ...
"Who said that the minority has no right to their voice, to your cinema?"
In general, the dependence of culture on the state, unfortunately, today is natural, as natural man's dependence on oxygen from the water. The question of selectivity of this support.
BBC: What will be the fate of the mill "Faust"?
AS: The owners of the world rights to the rental have been identified. And in Russia the rental of "Faust" will be difficult, because in Russia today are interested in serious cinema lost. As I understand it, the whole film distribution in the country belongs to large corporations - American, along with Russian entrepreneurs. And the screen time on a Russian painting from them, of course, is not provided. The Russian government sold all cinemas. In our cities, in my opinion, never left the municipal theater. And private businesses do not have the desire, strength somehow to work on rental of Russian cinema.
Is that any television show "Faust" late at night. If suddenly a desire to owners of private theaters, I'll be glad. We probably do one or two copies of "Faust" with the Russian off-screen scoring.
BBC: Can the problem in Russia is not only distributors, but also in the audience?
AS: Of course, people who are interested in the author's cinema, a minority. But who said that the minority has no right to their voice, to your cinema? And besides, if my picture invests Russian taxpayer, I should show him what I've spent the money. This is my right. My responsibility is not to the officials and the people who pay taxes. It is very important to me.
BBC: Not so long ago in the Russian Cinematographers' Union split. You have become one of the founders of alternative Kinosoyuza. What prompted you to this?
"If the state will not finance the film in Russia, I think he can stand, but weakened to the limit"
AS: I have to do with it is not as radical as it may be, my colleagues, that to create Kinosoyuza done incomparably more. They are from Moscow, I - in St. Petersburg and Moscow are rare.
A few reasons: the structure of the Union, its objectives should be changed ... The main task of the new Kinosoyuza - bring it closer to the real problems of filmmakers to make it more democratic. It should be less politicized and engaged in the development of film industry, not the service of political currents or the financial interests of elected cinematic families.
BBC: During a split among the filmmakers dealt with and how to distribute the money allocated by the state ...
AS: The question of funding is very important. If the state will not finance the film in Russia, I think he can stand, but weakened to the limit. There are people who are predisposed to the cinema in the highest sense of the word. I do not know whether the Russian predisposed to the economy, the financial activities of gosadministrirovaniyu? I doubt it, we do not have the blood of this. But, oddly enough, the arts, the cinema, we have a clear predisposition. If there is no state help, but it is obliged to do so many outstanding people will not take place. And world cinema will not see much of that could be seen.
BBC: Alexander, you're not a politician. But lately you have become one of the most active gradozaschitnikov, including an opponent 400-meter skyscraper for Gazprom in St. Petersburg, whose construction is still canceled. At the same time, you become a mediator in the dialogue with St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matvienko
"We made a large map of St. Petersburg that caused the destruction of all objects. The Governor is made a serious impression, and she gave an order to halt the demolition of a number of buildings"
AS: I'm in the process is not one, and one nothing could be done. Yes, we now often meet with the governor would sit and discuss the most patients in urgent situations of conflict. Consider that Matvienko - Russia's only a governor, which regularly conducts negotiations and discussions with gradozaschitnikami.
Yes, I called city officials to "come out of the trenches," because while we are "at war", people who have other interests, do their dirty work - the historic city is destroyed. Governor Matvienko agreed to "withdraw from the trenches" and invited people to gather for dialogue - experts, NGO representatives and politicians. We have compiled a large map of St. Petersburg, where all objects have caused the destruction. The Governor is made a serious impression, and she gave an order to suspend the demolition of several buildings.
That is, initially the effectiveness of these meetings was large, many managed to halt the destruction. But the more we got into these issues, the clearer it became to understand that there are serious structural problems in urban governance, building policy ... Despite all the promises, the demolition of buildings in St. Petersburg continues. Many say that the meeting with the governor - is part of a political power play before the election. I do not want to believe it, I would like to hope that the governor - a decent man.
"Unfortunately, one of the main problems of St. Petersburg - is the architects'
I went to a dialogue with an open heart, is at stake is my civic reputation. But if they continue to demolition of historic buildings, if you will continue the ambiguity of the behavior of members of the city government, then, of course, everything will return to its "life of the trenches." And it is still more to lose St. Petersburg, its civil society.
BBC: So strange picture. Foreign experts, in particular UNESCO World Heritage Committee, understands that St. Petersburg - is the value that it ought to be preserved, and call this the Russian authorities. And in the St. Petersburg many such desires not?
AS: Unfortunately, one of the main problems of St. Petersburg - it's architects. City destroys the monstrous activities of the present generation of Russian architects. Actually, of all generations. More destruction, more destructive power than by architects and stroykorporatsy, does not come from anyone. Architects throw "ideas", they skosobochivayut brain builders, cynically began to speak beautiful words anyone. For the sake of money, of course. I have been repeatedly at meetings where the architects drew beautiful pictures, but when you see it then covers despair! And what we want if the architects grew up under Soviet rule, where there was no cross-cutting concepts of a culture of respect to the past.
BBC: The European Film Academy has made ??a name Alexander Sokurov in a hundred of the best filmmakers of all time. That is, in Western Europe, your work more in demand than in Russia. Did not think the same fate as Tarkovsky and constantly work already out of Russia?
AS: I have worked on many films, where the crews were not fully Russian. I was not scared. If a situation arises when there will be opportunities to work at home, and I'll still be able to, I'll go look for a place where the opportunity will be ..
