Lopushansky's second film focuses on a few hours in the life of a soloist musician during the siege of Leningrad, in WWII. The Leningrad philharmonic is going to play Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony, which is to be broadcast to England. The soloist, like his fellow musicians, is weak and half-starved, and doubts whether he will be able to perform well enough.
Direction
Lopushansky's debut of his apocalyptic visual language.
Production
Authentic Leningrad siege decay—filmed in actual ruins.
Acting
Hrynko's trembling hands do half the storytelling.
Director
Konstantin Lopushansky
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Lopushansky assistant-directed Stalker before this; Tarkovsky's long-take DNA is visible in every gaunt close-up.
The real 1942 Leningrad radio broadcasts—musicians literally died during performances, instruments passed to backups.
SU
