film russian known passion according russian soviet biographical historical drama film directed written film loosely based life great 15th century russian icon painter film features wife famous russian art historian scientific consultant film set background 15th century russia film loosely based life seeks depict realistic portrait medieval russia sought create film shows artist world historic figure christianity russia historical identity turbulent period russian history ultimately resulted film themes include artistic freedom religion political ambiguity making art regime released domestically officially authoritarian soviet_union years completed single screening moscow version film shown cannes film festival won prize censored version film released soviet_union film cut commercial reasons release result versions film exist issues censorship obscured truncated film years following release restored original version come regarded greatest films time ranked highly sight sound critics directors polls plot summary note following synopsis refers original minute version film divided chapters prologue epilogue loosely related main film main film charts life great icon painter episodes life background 15th century russia turbulent period characterized fighting rival princes invasions film prologue shows preparations hot air balloon ride balloon church river man named attempting flight use harness beneath balloon moment attempt ignorant mob arrive river attempt flight putting face men ground assisting spite balloon successfully released overwhelmed delighted view sensation flying prevent crash landing shortly creative characters representing daring hopes easily crushed crash horse seen rolling pond symbol life horses movie wandering monks religious icon painters looking work represent different creative characters observer searches good people wants inspire withdrawn resigned bent creativity self realization lacks talent painter achieve prominence jealous self intelligent left monastery lived years heading moscow heavy rain shower seek shelter barn group villagers entertained sarcastic enemy state church earns living scathing social commentary making fun monks come time leaves unnoticed shortly group soldiers arrive arrest outside knock unconscious away smashing musical instrument rain stopped monks thank villagers allowing shelter continue way walk heavy rain starts greek summer winter spring summer arrives workshop greek prominent recognized master painter working new icon jesus christ portrayed complex character established artist god fearing views somewhat cynical art craft people young run away town square convicted criminal tortured executed talks artist impressed monk understanding invites work apprentice decoration moscow refuses accepts offer condition personally come monastery invite work fraternity according comments fame icon painter outside world short later monastery messenger arrives moscow ask assistance cathedral greek agitated recognition receives refuses accompany accepting offer considering soon temper wishes younger monk comes goodbye friend jealous fit anger decides leave monastery secular world throwing accusations greed face fellow monks dismiss monastery snowy countryside pursued dog beats walking stick leaves dead leaves moscow young apprentice creative character representing light hearted practical minded commercial artist iii passion according walking woods conversation faults especially lying confesses taking honey bee garden notices mud face bee sting talent artist concerned deeper meaning work concerned practical aspects job like colour painting considered unstable mix encounter forest old master sends away leaves apprentice finds dead swan stick cut banks stream arguing religion masters paint argues ignorance russian people says doesn understand painter maintain views section contains christ snow covered plays recounts story expresses belief men jesus god loved feast camping night collecting group hears distant sounds celebration upstream woods going investigate encounters large group naked conducting torch lit ritual intrigued excited behaviour caught couple making love tied jesus threatened drowning morning woman named dressed fur coat approaches explaining people persecuted beliefs drops coat kisses runs away lost dense woods face morning returns group including leave boats group soldiers appear chasing including partner captured escapes swimming river past boat fellow monks look away shame judgment summer working decoration church months walls white bare messenger arrives word furious bishop autumn finish job nearby road middle field flowers task unable paint subject judgement doesn want people submission comes conclusion lost ease mind artist needs work ambitious leaves group offer painting smaller prestigious church stone party working grand prince mansion prince wants work line tastes workers job mansion grand prince brother refuse path woods soldiers orders grand prince eyes replicate work church dismayed news fate angrily throws paint walls young escaped attack unharmed reads random section bible aloud request concerning women identifies holy fool rain upset sight paint wall innocence leads idea paint feast raid autumn grand prince away lithuania power hungry younger brother forms allegiance group raids flashbacks grand prince brother attending religious service church rivalry animosity invasion combined armed forces horseback resulting shown great detail city burned citizens murdered women raped killed scene shows horse falling flight stairs stabbed spear shows cow set fire narrowly escapes killed city escapes nearby countryside crossing river shoots arrow dies falls river swept away force way church fully decorated paintings majority citizens taken refuge mercy massacre people inside burn painted wooden saves raped killing axe bishop messenger tortured reveal location city gold refuses repeatedly burned liquid metal melted poured mouth dragged away tied horse aftermath left alive church conversation dead greek loss work evil mankind hair dead woman decides painting takes silence killing man vii silence winter monastery famine war grip country longer speaks keeps fellow companion silence refugees discuss problems respective home towns man talks broken voice escape recognised younger monk long absent suffered time away monastery begs father superior allow return wish granted instructed copy holy scriptures times group stops monastery travelling region concern experienced brutality hand simple minded remember fascinated soldier shining group play soldier takes liking putting helmet head dressing bride finally deciding away eighth russian wife attempts stop leaving determined rides away talks time left monastery assures won danger holy fool considered bad luck let continues work carrying large hot stones fire heat water monastery drops stone snow viii bell spring summer winter spring life turns witnesses casting bell grand prince family died plague ravaged area son survived tells prince men possesses father secret delivered death bed casting bronze bell persuades person left alive successfully charge project frequently challenges instincts workers choosing location pit selection proper clay building mold firing finally bell process making bell grows huge expensive hundreds workers makes risky decisions guided instincts opened metal mould privately asks god help watches casting younger man notices bell making sequence makes crowds come watch bell raised threatens kill mistakes man denounced years earlier led arrest torture prison sentence behalf silent later privately confesses talent dissipated heard abandoned painting denounced allowing god given talent painting waste pleads resume response bell making completion confidence slowly transforms stunned detached disbelief succeeded task work crew takes makes attempts fade background activity bell hoisted tower grand prince entourage arrive inaugural ceremony bell blessed priests bell prepared royal entourage overhead discussing doubts revealed work crew know bell fails ring grand prince beheaded grand prince brother raided raid sequence beheaded quiet tension slowly bell forth closer lip bell swing pan assembly reveals white leading horse preceded boy presumably son walks crowd critical moment bell rings perfectly ceremony finds collapsed ground admits father told secret casting bell breaking silence telling boy carry work cast bells paint icons sees boy horse walk muddy field distance epilogue film colour shows time aged vibrant details actual icons icons shown following order christ jesus entering jerusalem birth christ christ jesus resurrection resurrection birth christ trinity paul final scene icons shows horses standing river rain cast greek prince grand prince moscow holy fool girl khan mary production working feature film childhood proposal film life russia greatest icon painter contract signed treatment approved december screenwriter worked years script studying medieval writings chronicles books medieval history art april script approved began working film time script published influential film magazine widely discussed historians film critics ordinary readers discussion centered historical artistic aspects film according original idea film life film actor proposed write screenplay forest outskirts moscow mentioned love play intend film historical biographical film instead motivated idea showing connection creative character personality times lives wanted artist development talent chose importance history russian culture cast role time unknown actor theater according everybody different image historical figure casting unknown actor remind viewers roles favoured approach read film script film magazine enthusiastic role traveled moscow expense meet declared play role better felt saying simply got lucky role required face great expressive power single provided right physical appearance talent showing complex psychological processes continue work director appearing mirror title role stage production hamlet moscow theatre death cancer intended play protagonist italian russian production star project titled witch significantly alter final production sacrifice chose shoot main film black white epilogue showing icons color interview motivated choice claim everyday life consciously notice colors consequently life black white art color film able express dependence artist art personal life color sequence icons begins showing selected details famous icon trinity reason including color final according viewer rest allow life reflect film finally ends image horses river rain horses life including horses final scene scenes film meant life source art filming begin april year approval script initial budget million cut times million comparison war peace budget half million result budget restrictions scenes script cut including opening scene showing scenes cut script hunting scene younger brother grand prince hunts scene showing peasants helping giving birth russian child end film cost million cost overrun heavy snowfall disrupted shooting november april film shot location historical places scenes film depict violence torture cruelty animals leading controversy censorship attempts completion film scenes took place raid showing example torture monk scenes involving cruelty animals simulated example raid cow set fire reality cow covered coat physically harmed scene depicts real death horse horse falls flight stairs stabbed spear produce image injured horse shooting neck pushed stairs causing animal fall flight stairs camera horse soldiers left right horse horse struggling having fallen stabbed spear animal shot head afterward camera avoid possibility considered lesser highly prized stunt horse horse brought killed set returned commercial consumption interview interviewer suggested cruelty film shown precisely shock viewers repel attempt cruelty responded don agree hinder viewer perception films cruel things compared looks modest film referenced films followed referenced having icon placed main character room referenced having poster film hanged wall mirror forms series films referencing distribution cut film completed july named passion according ran minutes demanded cuts film citing length violence nudity completed version years film widely released soviet_union ministry demands cuts resulted minute version despite objections expressed letter chairman ministry demanded cuts trimmed length minutes film premiered single screening moscow audience reaction enthusiastic despite criticism film depiction violence february complained film approved wide release refused cut scenes film refusal resulted released years despite topic discussion level meeting communist_party invited cannes film festival planned retrospective soviet film occasion 50th anniversary october revolution official answer film completed shown film festival second invitation organizers cannes film festival soviet officials accepted invitation allowed film screen festival competition screened final day festival audience response enthusiastic film won prize soviet officials tried prevent official release film france countries successful french distributor legally acquired rights soviet_union influential work including film director composer editor began release second wife wrote letters influential personalities support film release went film premier soviet_union despite refusal cuts finally released december minute version film released prints sold million tickets film released complained diary entire city single poster film seen theaters sold despite cuts having originated demands ultimately endorsed minute cut film original minute version cut cuts version film hours minutes long second hours minutes shortened final version hours minutes convinced latest version best successful cut certain overly long scenes viewer doesn notice absence cuts way changed subject matter important film words removed overly long scenes significance shortened certain scenes brutality order induce psychological shock viewers opposed mere unpleasant impression destroy intent friends colleagues long discussions advising cuts turned right end took time understand got impression attempting pressure creative later understood final version film requirements regret film shortened present length film shown soviet television minute version authorize notable scenes cut version raid scene showing naked epilogue showing details icons black white soviet_union fully transitioned color shown soviet epilogue black white despite soviet_union having completely transitioned color difference original version film inclusion short explanatory note beginning film detailing life historical background film released countries distributor cut additional minutes making film mess eyes critics leading unfavorable reviews mid-1990s released original minute version laserdisc criterion issued dvd criterion version director cut despite stated preference minute version according sister editors film secretly kept print minute cut bed criterion producer project stated video transfer sourced film print filmmaker acquired visiting russia awards won awards film screened cannes film festival pressure soviet officials film shown competition eligible grand prix won prize international film critics won critics award best foreign film regard film honored came equal second newspaper series greatest films time voted critics guardian observer film ranked empire magazine best films world cinema released essential list films placed film rated website films chart influence film inspired polish composer construct audio visual performance called quasi inspired film playing performing live visuals
Andrei Rublev (film)