CHEKHOV'S MOTIFS
Kira Muratova (Russia, 2002)
OFFICIAL WEBSITE

WINNER - BEST DIRECTOR
2002 RUSSIAN GUILD OF FILM CRITICS

Based on two works by Anton Chekhov, the play Tatiana Repina and the short story "Difficult People," CHEKHOV'S MOTIFS is a fascinating diptych, two parts that share characters but on the surface little else. The film begins as a young man returns to his small village to borrow money, a request that sets off a bitter confrontation between him and his father. The long-suffering wife (and mother) can do little but look on. Director Kira Muratova powerfully captures the emotional rawness of this generational confrontation, exposing a wide array of issues and prejudices.

But after the son runs out of the house, he walks into a wedding service taking place in the local Orthodox Church. The groom is an overweight opera singer, and the bride and her family are grotesque examples of Russia's nouveaux riches. Yet the point is less satire perhaps than Muratova's meticulous rendition of the entire ceremony, refusing the spectator a comfortable distance from which to judge these characters by bringing the audience into the world of the film itself.

"CHEKHOV'S MOTIFS" PLAYS AS A FINALE IN THE
CELEBRATING CHEKHOV SERIES

2010 marks the 150th anniversary of Anton Chekhov's birth. One of the most celebrated figures in the history of literature, his works still remain of great importance. 2010 also marks the 10th anniversary of Seagull Films, a company that during the decade since its formation has serviced North American audiences with the best of Russian cinema - named after the writer's famous play The Seagull. 

Celebrating Chekhov is a surgically selected package of Chekhov's finest filmic adaptations, and provides a deep cinematic look into the master's work at its best.

ALL CELEBRATING CHEKHOV FILMS PLAY TWICE ONLY

Presented by Seagull Films in collaboration with National Gallery of Art and Concern Mosfilm. Special thanks to Karen Shakhnazarov. Learn more HERE.