Andrei Tarkovsky's Italian Routes

Andrei Tarkovsky (1932–1986) is an undisputed contender for the title of the greatest director in the history of cinema, and in any case, he is considered the largest Russian master without question. This book is an attempt at a systematic study of Tarkovsky’s creative work in a situation where he found himself separated from his national roots—in other words, in exile.

As his new place of residence, the director chose the art-saturated Italy—and, as it now seems, there’s nothing accidental in this. The book combines features of a biography and film studies, a tourist guide and a historical investigation, as well as publicistic writing supplemented with cultural references and abundant mentions of memories. To one degree or another, all of Tarkovsky’s works are discussed on these pages, but the main focus is on his two latest films—"Nostalgia" and "Sacrifice."