film mystic

The son of a poet, Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky was the original film mystic, seeking communion with a higher truth he saw possible though art. Here is a small snippet of his philosophy, taken from his influential book, Sculpting in Time:

"The allotted function of art is not, as is often assumed, to put across ideas, to propagate thoughts, to serve as example. The aim of art is to prepare a person for death, to plough and harrow his soul, rendering it capable of turning to good."

Tarkovsky was so dedicated to his work that he shot the same film three times (due to technical glitches) and, in one location, exposed himself and his crew to so many toxic chemicals that he and two others eventually died from the same form of cancer.

Tarkovskian devotees are responsible for the "slow cinema" movement lingering in festivals for the last few years. Although I don't consider myself a devotee of anyone or a part of any movement, I do subscribe to the belief that films can and should provoke profound, meaningful experiences in the viewer.