The British Council presents the first edition of the IN FOCUS documentary film festival that will take place in six Russian cities from 1 to 15 August 2017.
The festival presents a selection of recent award winning documentaries inspired by iconic figures of contemporary British culture.
It is said that «whoever tells the best story shapes the culture» and what could be a better story than the life of an artist – a creator, a rioter and a genius, who stands out from the crowd and whose bright talent changes the world? Through the lens of the camera, IN FOCUS looks at five people, each of whom has become a symbol of contemporary Britain and an idol for generations of people across the globe.
The films are shown in English with Russian subtitles. 18+
Admission is free, registration is required.
Characters
David Hockney ("Hockney") and Lucian Freud ("Lucian Freud: A Painted Life") turned the traditions of visual art upside down.
Hockney – the godfather of pop-art, who spent most of his life in the United States, first made a splash with his vital portraits and ultramarine-blue pools, then dived into experiments with the camera and collage techniques and finally switched to the painting of landscapes where the fog of Kensington is replaced with the sunshine of California. Freud is a master of figurative art, famous for his naturalistic portraits, penetrating one’s mind and exploring the relationship between the artist and the model – in the traditions set by his legendary grandfather.
Ted (Edward James) Hughes ("Ted Hughes: Stronger than Death"), Poet Laureate and one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, the creative beneficiary of T.S. Eliot and a poet of mythic and elemental power, whose vers libre echoes the best masterpieces of British impressionism and whose controversial and tragic biography made him the main romantic hero of the époque.
Liam and Noel Gallagher ("Oasis: Supersonic") and Amy Winehouse ("Amy") are as different as the musicians can be, but both of their stories consist of a series of rises and falls, admiration and blame, glory and oblivion. While Oasis went through all the stages from the early success with Definitely May Be to a decade of triumph in the nineties and the further split followed by numerous attempts of reunion, Amy left the stage at the peak of her carrier by joining the immortal Twenty Seven Club.
The life stories of this "famous five" gave rise to these documentaries, each of which is a creative journey. The BAFTA winner Asif Kapadia repeats his success with Senna (2010) by exploring Amy’s life through her texts, archive chronicles, friends’ and fans' comments and her rare interviews. Both of Randall Wright’s films show artists’ lives behind the scene and, following the canon of BBC movies, combine detailed research with creative essay. Matt Whitecross made Supersonic hoping that "a little bit of the spirit of Oasis could spark something in a new group of misfits, and they’ll go out and change the world again". And Richard Curson-Smith once again turns his camera to a prominent figure in British art history, depicting Ted Hughes’s tragic life and poetic passions.
Schedules
| YEKATERINBURG 5 – 6 August 2017 Boris Yeltsin Presidential Centre |
The films will be presented by the Head of Art Gallery of Yeltsin Centre, Ilya Shipilovskih and journalist, Igor Tsaler.
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REGISTRATION |
| KAZAN 2 – 6 August 2017 Smena Contemporary Culture centre |
The films will be presented by art historian Louisa Nizamova, poet Andrey Abrosimov and journalist and musician Radif Kashapov.
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REGISTRATION |
| KRASNOYARSK 9 – 13 August 2017 |
REGISTRATION | |
| MOSCOW 3 – 7 August 2017 Garage Museum of Contemporary Art |
The films will be presented by film critic Maksim Semenov. |
REGISTRATION |
| NIZHNY NOVGOROD 1 –15 August 2017 Volgo-Vyatsky branch of the State Museum Exhibition Center ROSIZO |
The films will be presented by journalist Polina Sporysheva, music critic Aleksey Kostyukov and philologist Aleksander Kolesnikov. |
REGISTRATION |
| SAINT PETERSBURG 9 – 13 August 2017 New Holland |
The films will be presented by journalist Konstantin Shavlovsky. |
REGISTRATION |
