卑微的人生

1997,75min.,colour,BETACAMSP,Stereo<br/>　　TheJapanFoundation,NorthFoundation,PandoraCo.,Ltd(Japan)<br/>　　SpecialthankstoHirokoKodjima<br/>　　scenario:A.Sokurov<br/>　　camera:A.Fedorov<br/>　　sound:S.Moshkov<br/>　　editor:L.Semenova<br/>　　“Myjourneytoyoursorrowfulcountrycannotfinish…evenhereinRussia.<br/>　　Ican'tpartwithfeelingswhichhavecapturedme…asifmysoulhadbeeninsearchofBeautyandKindness.Ifnot—whatforhaveIdeservedthisgift,thismeeting…<br/>　　Ihavearrivedinthetwilight.Thenoiseofthewindandmytirednessdidn'tletmefallasleep.<br/>　　Iwaslyingonthefloor,therewasasmalllampatmyhead,thebeddinghadbeenthrownoverthemat.<br/>　　Idon'tknowwhy,butIbegantothinkaboutthewar,andthescenesofunknownlifeappearedbeforemefromthepast…or,perhaps,fromthefuture;Somebody’schildren…somebody'smothers…<br/>　　Thesummerwaswarm…<br/>　　Thenthemorningcame,windy,coldandsunny…Iexaminedthehousecautiously.Itwasempty…<br/>　　Then,Iremember,Iturnedback,havingheardacreak.<br/>　　Itseemedshehadnotyetnoticedme…Idecidedtocomenearer.<br/>　　Icanrememberwellenough,howeverythingbecameinteresting:walls,utensils,wind,light,sounds—allherlife.<br/>　　WeagreedthatshewouldletmestaynearherallthetimeAllthehoursandminutesthatIcouldspendinheroldhouse.Isatnearherwithherpermission.Anditwasreallynecessary:Icouldcontem­platehertomyheart'scontent.”<br/>　　AlexanderSokurov(fromtheauthor'stexttothefilm)<br/>　　Amythaboutlostharmony,whichisalwayswithus,thoughweoftencannotfeelit,isfurtherdevelopedinthisfilmbyAlexanderSokurov.Thematerialusedhereisconcreteand,atfirstsight,quitefitforTV.Thewholeworkisunhurriedanddetailedreportfromanoldsolitaryhouse,lostinthemountains,inthevillageofAska,prefectureNara,Japan,whereanoldwoman,whosenameisUmenoMatshueshi,livesalone.Butfilmmaker'screativetaskisquiteopposedtotheTVinformationstream.Itisnotonlybecausethissubject,thispersoncouldn'tbeofanyinterestforanyTVcrewinanycountry(andleastofall,perhaps,inmodernJapan).<br/>　　Sokurov'scameradoesn'twatchthischaracter,doesn’taskanyquestions,doesn’tsurpriseher,butextractsuninterruptedpoeticalimageoutofthetrivialdetailsofthisphysicalreality,outofthisextinctlifeanddailyroutine.Theimageisepicandlyricalatthesametime.RefinedsimplicityofJapaneselandscape,interior,aseriesofportraitsarenotarepresentationof“couleurlocal,”butonlythesignofidealtechniqueoftheidealdescription,allowingtoenterthislife.Thewoman,whoremainssilentthroughoutthewholefilm,cookingandeating,kindlingthefireandsewing,givingalmsandcombingherhairbeforeus,recitesinthefinalpoemasaprayer:artlessandsorrowfultankuaboutloneliness,abouttheconstancyoflossesandgainings.Sokurovshootsthisunexpectedstrokeinhispersonage'sportraitasalyricalcodaofhiswork.