DIRECTOR Larisa Shepitko WRITING Yuri Klepikov and Larisa Shepitko Wrote the Screenplay Adapted from a Novel by Vasiliy Bykov
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October 29, 2019 (XXXIX:10) Larisa Shepitko: THE ASCENT (1977, 111m) The version of this Goldenrod Handout sent out in our Monday mailing, and the one online, has hot links. Spelling and Style—use of italics, quotation marks or nothing at all for titles, e.g.—follows the form of the sources. DIRECTOR Larisa Shepitko WRITING Yuri Klepikov and Larisa Shepitko wrote the screenplay adapted from a novel by Vasiliy Bykov. Production Company Mosfilm MUSIC Alfred Schnittke CINEMATOGRAPHY Vladimir Chukhnov and Pavel Lebeshev EDITING Valeriya Belova CAST Boris Plotnikov...Sotnikov Vladimir Gostyukhin...Rybak Sergey Yakovlev...Village elder Lyudmila Polyakova...Demchikha Viktoriya Goldentul...Basya Anatoliy Solonitsyn...Portnov, the Nazi interrogator Mariya Vinogradova...Village elder's wife Nikolai Sektimenko...Stas' She also adopted his motto, "Make every film as if it's your last." Shepitko graduated from VGIK in 1963 with LARISA SHEPITKO (b. January 6, 1938 in her prize winning diploma film Heat*, or Znoy made Artyomovsk, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Artemivsk, when she was 22 years old. The film was influenced by a Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine]—d. July 2, 1979 (age 41) in short story, ''The Camel's Eye'', by Chingiz Aitmatov. near Redkino, Kalinin Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR), Her 1967 short film, “Homeland of electricity,”* part of whose filmmaking career was tragically cut short by a car the omnibus Beginning of an Unknown Era, suffered accident, was on the verge of becoming a name censorship for its perceived negative portrayal of the synonymous with internationally renowned directors to Bolsheviks, despite its intention to commemorate the emerge from the Soviet Union. Abandoned by her father fiftieth anniversary of the October Revolution. when she was very young, her work is often seen as Considering herself more of a humanist than a political evoking themes of isolation and loneliness. At sixteen, filmmaker, she was not deterred by political she began studying at the All-Russian State Institute of infringement on her work. In the 1970s, she made two Cinematography, and she “found herself part of a new more feature films, one which cemented her film legacy. generation of young filmmakers artistically encouraged The Ascent* (1977) was her last completed film and the by the freer atmosphere” under Khrushchev’s relaxing of one which garnered the most attention in the West. It Stalin’s uncompromising policies. As a student, she was the official submission of the Soviet Union for the acted in two films: Tavriya (1960) and Obyknovennaya ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ category of the 50th istoriya (1962). At this time she began studying with Academy Awards in 1978. The film’s depiction of the Alexander Dovzhenko (Criterion). She felt a kinship martyrdom of the Soviets owes much to Christian between their shared heritage and social realist imagery. iconography. Unlike her controversial short a decade Shepitko—THE ASCENT—2 prior, she faced little controversy this time around Firebird: The Firebird, Petrushka, Scheherazade (Video) because her narrative was very in line with nationalist (2002), Army of Valhalla (2003), and Rerberg and pride. Shepitko's growing international reputation led to Tarkovsky. The Reverse Side of 'Stalker' (Documentary) an invitation to serve (2009). on the jury at the 28th Berlin BORIS PLOTNIKOV International Film (b. April 2, 1949 in Festival in 1978. Nevyansk, Sverdlovsk These are the other Oblast, Russian SFSR, films she directed: USSR [now Russia]) is a Slepoy kukhar (1956), Soviet and Russian film Zhivaya voda actor (47 credits). His (1957), Wings film debut was as (1966), 13 PM (TV Sotnikov in The Ascent Movie) (1969), and (1977), the acclaimed You and Me* (1971). final film of Russian Her husband, the director Elem Klimov, finished the director Larisa Shepitko. These are some of the films next film she was writing under the title Farewell (1983) and television series he acted in: The Ascent (1977), and also made a 25-minute tribute to her entitled Larisa Nakanune premiery (1978), Pugachev (1979), Savage (1980). Hunt of King Stakh (1980), The Stand-By Moves In *Also wrote (1984), Peter the Great (TV Mini-Series) (1986), Mikhaylo Lomonosov (TV Mini-Series) (1986), VLADIMIR CHUKHNOV (b. April 18, 1946—d. Lermontov (1986), Heart of a Dog (TV Movie) (1988), June 2, 1979 (age 33) in Kalinin Oblast, RSFSR, USSR Gambrinus (1990), Pushkin: Poslednyaya duel (2006), U [now Tver Oblast, Russia]) was a Soviet kazhdogo svoya voyna (TV Series) (2010), Dar (TV cinematographer who worked throughout the 1970s on Series) (2011), Godunov (TV Series) (2018), and Krylya these films: Semeynoe schaste (1970), Nyurkina zhizn Imperii (TV Series) (2017-2019). (1972), Dom dlya Serafima (1974), Vylet zaderzhivayetsya (TV Movie) (1974), Rayskie yablochki (1974), Moyo delo VLADIMIR GOSTYUKHIN (b. March 10, 1946 in (TV Movie) (1976), Pobeditel (1976), The Ascent (1977), Sverdlovsk, Sverdlovskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now V chetverg i bolshe nikogda (1978), and Stakan vody (TV Ekaterinburg, Russia]) is a Soviet and Russian, Movie) (1979). Belarusian film actor (88 credits). These are some of the films he has acted in: It Was in May (TV Movie) (1970), PAVEL LEBESHEV (b. February 15, 1940 in Vremya vybralo nas (TV Mini-Series) (1976), The Ascent Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia]—d. (1977), Chuzhaya kompaniya (1979), Starshina (1980), February 23, 2003 (age 63) in Moscow, Russia) was a Magistral (1983), Bereg (1984), Kontrakt veka (1985), Soviet and Russian cinematographer (49 credits). Pavel Levsha (1987), Ill Omen (1987), L'autostop (1991), Close Lebeshev graduated from the Gerasimov Institute of to Eden (1991), General (1992), Ameriken boy (1992), Cinematography in 1972 and worked with many famous Shlyaktich zavalna (1994), The Tale of Fedot, the Shooter Soviet and Russian directors, including Nikita (2002), War (2002), The Night Is Bright (2005), Prince Mikhalkov, Georgi Daneliya and Larisa Shepitko. Vladimir (2006), And Quiet Flows the Don (TV Mini- These are some of the films he worked on: A Slave of Series) (2006), I Remember (2006), Spies Must Die: The Love (1976), The Ascent (1977), An Unfinished Piece for Crimea (TV Series) (2008), In the Forests and the Mechanical Piano (1977), Kentavry (1979), Five Evenings Mountains (TV Series) (2010), 1812. Ulanskaya ballada (1979), Oblomov (1980), Family Relations (1982), Assa (2012), Sniper: Last Shot (TV Mini-Series) (2015), The (1987), Zapretnaya zona (1988), Die Reise von St. Code of Cain (2016), Potseluy oseni (2016), and Ded Petersburg nach Moskau (Documentary) (1992), Prisoner Moroz. Bitva Magov (2016). of the Mountains (1996), The Barber of Siberia (1998), Mama (1999), The Gentle Age (2000), Cheque (2000), As ANATOLIY SOLONITSYN (b. August 30, 1934 in Far as My Feet Will Carry Me (2001), Return of the Bogorodsk, Bogorodskiy rayon, Gorkovskaya oblast, Shepitko—THE ASCENT—3 RSFSR, USSR [now Nizhegorodskaya oblast, Russia]— fellow escapees. The soldiers’ perilous journey, however, d. June 11, 1982 (age 47) in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR leads to a series of fateful encounters, including their [now Russia]) was a Soviet actor (42 credits). Solonitsyn capture, interrogation, and torture by Nazi soldiers and is best known in the west for his roles in several of collaborators. As the narrative unfolds, complex moral Andrei Tarkovsky's films, including Dr. Sartorius in and existential dilemmas arise. The young and sickly Solaris (1972), the Writer in Stalker (1979), the Sotnikov (Boris Plotnikov) and the physically stronger, physician in Mirror (1975), and the title role in Andrei experienced soldier Rybak (Vladimir Gostyukhin) are Rublev (1966). Indeed, it was Tarkovsky who ultimately forced to choose between life and death, as "discovered" him in the casting process for Andrei survival will only become possible by betrayal. While Rublev. In his book Sculpting In Time, Tarkovsky calls Shepitko focuses on the extreme physical and him his "favorite" actor and that Solonitsyn was psychological experiences of war, the film raises intended to play the lead Nostalghia (1983) and The questions that interrogate human nature more broadly. Sacrifice (1986) but died before their production. In the The Ascent marks the highpoint of the former Soviet Union he is also well known for his roles Ukrainian-born filmmaker’s career, securing her critical in The Bodyguard (1979), At Home among Strangers acclaim both in the Soviet Union and abroad. Despite (1974) and many others. In 1981, he won the Silver limited distribution in Soviet cinemas, the film was Bear for Best Actor at the 31st Berlin International Film positively reviewed in major Soviet film magazines and Festival for his role in Aleksandr Zarkhi's film Twenty was generally well received by state Six Days from the Life of Dostoyevsky. These are some of officials.1 Moreover, The Ascent won the Golden Bear at the other films he acted in: Anyutyna doroga (1968), No the 1977 Berlin International Film Festival, after which Path Through Fire (1968), Under a Stone Sky (1974), Shepitko showed the work at film festivals in Telluride Posledniy den zimy (1974), Trust (1976), The Ascent and Toronto, and even returned to the Berlinale in 1978 (1977), Legenda o Tile (1977), Rasputin (1981), Scenes as a member of the international jury.2 from Life of People on Leave (1981), and The Hat (1982). Even though The Ascent and Shepitko’s other masterly films have since been praised by critics and scholars in both the East and the West, they remain far less known and exhibited