Farewell
Remote and mysterious, whether hostile or enticing, infernal microcosms or dreamed worlds, islands have long captivated the imaginations of filmmakers. By their very isolated nature, they often serve as metaphoric or literal settings of loss and introspection, inviting exploration and oblivion. Enclosed by water, they provide ideal backdrops for intimate dramas and intense adventures, their geography shaping the narrative. As many real-world islands face existential threats, we invite you to explore a few fictional isles where cinema has found its enchanting refuge along the shore.
As the island of Matiora is threatened by the construction of a dam, its inhabitants mobilize to prevent its disappearance, but must nevertheless prepare to bid farewell to their village and the land of their ancestors. The film was originally the project of filmmaker Larisa Shepitko, but when she died in a car accident while scouting locations for the shoot, her widower Elem Klimov took over the director's chair.
Elem Klimov
Elem Klimov is a Russian director best remembered for his seminal work, Come and See, which premiered in 1985. His cinematic journey began with Welcome, or No Trespassing, a biting satire set in a summer camp. This satirical vein deepened with Adventures of a Dentist, drawing the ire of film industry bureaucrats. In 1970, he ventured into documentary filmmaking with Sport, Sport, Sport, seamlessly blending scripted sequences into it. This same fusion of elements characterized his film Agony (1981), chronicling the fall of the Romanov dynasty. However, Agony faced a prolonged delay in release, enduring censorship for its violence and unflinching historical critique, unusual in Soviet cinema. Similarly, it took seven years for Klimov to secure permission to create Come and See, a profoundly moving depiction of the German annihilation policy in Belarusian villages during World War II, told through the lens of a 15-year-old partisan. In 1979, tragedy struck as his wife, Larisa Shepitko, lost her life at 40 in a car accident while working on Farewell. Klimov took the reins of the project and saw it through to completion.
