What is nostos? At the same time, everything highest. Longing and return. The state of creativity without which there is no creation. Nostalgic yearning for creative freedom, for harmony of oneself with oneself and with God, for returning to the origins and accomplishing. And the price for all this is the highest. The price of nostos is life.
Writing or compiling books about Andrei Tarkovsky is thankless and difficult work, because everything you write or say is no more than you, but not on a par with Tarkovsky. Even his own lectures—because his texts are films that can only be understood over time. As of today, access to information about Andrei Arsenevich is still difficult. Texts, quotes—everything is controlled by the heirs and owners of photographs, letters, and even materials that accidentally ended up in someone’s hands. Among the photographs placed in the book (printed edition), there are unique photos of Tarkovsky’s last months of life, taken by Iren Brown—second director of the production “Boris Godunov” at Covent Garden, given by her to us. Also used are photos from the almanac “Spirit of Fire,” belonging to the director Sergey Solovyov, and photos by photo artist Valery Plotnikov. Everything was gathered piece by piece.
Contents:
From the author-compilator
Paola Volkova — Nostos
Tradition—was it. The Tarkovskys’ lineage, or lineage as myth
On the shores of the Inhule
The First Shchipkovsky Lane. House 26, apartment 2
Become yourself
Archives and documents
Andrei Tarkovsky: I strive for maximum truthfulness
Andrei Tarkovsky: Literary screen image
Andrei Tarkovsky: About oneself for the purpose of high individuality. The case of Andrei
Memories and articles
Irma Rausch-Tarkovskaya. Interview fragments
Andrei Bittov on Andrei Tarkovsky
Mark Rozovsky: A summer night in Sweden
Mikhail Romandin: Andrei’s dream
Paola Volkova: Over the glow of graves’ dawn
Grigory Pomerants: At the doors of the castle
Paola Volkova: For whom the bell tolls
Alexander Misharin: About a friend and co-author
The Mirror— a poem without a hero
Alexander Misharin, Andrei Tarkovsky — The Mirror. Film script
Tonino Guerra — Tarkovsky’s Grave