Documentary "About the Black Ring"
To the 130th anniversary of the birth of Anna Akhmatova
DOCUMENTARY
"About the Black Ring"
To the 130th anniversary of the birth of Anna Akhmatova
Appropriate for age 12+
Scriptwriter and director: Maria Misozhnikova
The documentary reconstructs the love story of poetess Anna Akhmatova and monumental artist Boris Anrep, starting with the first meeting of the heroes in 1914 and ending with the death of Boris in 1969. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of key political, cultural, and social events of the Twentieth century; the film includes footage of documentary chronicles of World War I and II, the October Revolution, the Roaring Twenties in England and Germany, the confrontation between the powers during the Cold War and others. Chronicles seem to be strung on the thread of relationships and their tragic denouement stretched in time. The film is built like a collage, using several techniques and styles of non-fiction cinema at once: poetic documentary with direct replicas of the heroes is replaced by an explanatory one, in which there is a voice-over. The film features music by British composer Sir John Tavener, including his symphonic cantata «Requiem» and a vocal cycle based on Akhmatova's poems.
Boris Anrep is the subject of Akhmatova's love lyrics, more than thirty poems are dedicated to him. Fate separates them for forty-eight years. They first met in 1914, just before Boris left for the front. Anrep, a hereditary aristocrat, was in military service and fond of versification. He was introduced to Akhmatova by friend, poet and literary critic Nikolay Nedobrovo. There was then a short rendezvous; Boris visits St. Petersburg whenever possible. Anna Andreevna always wears a black funeral ring, inherited from her grandmother. The poetess attributed a mysterious power to it, never removing it. In 1916, at one of their meetings, Akhmatova hands the ring to Anrep with the words "Take it. For you". In the same year, Anrep was transferred to the service of the Russian Government Committee in London. Again they enjoy only rare visits with their last in January 1917 before almost a half century of separation.
Akhmatova and Anrep never corresponded. Boris carefully keeps her ring, but when a bomb hits Anrep's London studio in 1939, the ring disappears. "Tears of despair filled my eyes... What will I say if A. A. will ask?". Anrep becomes one of the most famous mosaicists of the Twentieth century; among his works are the Holy Sacrament Chapel at Westminster Cathedral in London, panels at the National Gallery of London, at the Tate Gallery,as well as others.
Their next meeting took place in 1965 at a hotel in Paris. With Saturday morning coffee in Anrep's room, the phone rings: "Anna Andreevna has come from England and wants to talk to you". The hotel was full of Soviets. Elevator. Second floor. In the armchair was a majestic plump lady. «Catherine the Great» was my thought». The conversation did not go well. "Her ardent soul was looking to be just a person, a friend, a woman. I wanted to break through the forest that grew between us. But there was a heavy headstone on top of me. On me and on all the past, and there was no strength to arise".
Anna Akhmatova died March 5, 1966 in Moscow; Boris Anrep passed away three years later in London. In recent years, Anrep had become obsessed with the idea of determining which of Akhmatova's poems were dedicated to him. He himself again begins to write poetry and indulge in memories of ghostly love half a century ago.
The film «About the Black Ring» will be of great interest to anyone attracted to the history of Russia and Europe in the early and mid-twentieth century, the outstanding personalities of Silver Age poetry, Art Nouveau painting as well as the eternal questions of life and love.
Project cost: 60,000 euros
