The sentimental grotesque or The Jevish Theater Artists
Colour, 5 rolls, 1284 meters
Screenwriter
MAYA TUROVSRAYA
Cameraman
DMITRY MASURENKOV
Producer
MIRA TODOROVSKAYA
Productoin
“Myrabel” Studio
The Jewish Theater, created in hungry revolutionary Russia under supervision of Director Granovsky in 1920, was a unique phenomenon. The actors Mikhoels and Zuskin have used to work in it and Mark Chagall was the first designer there. The scenic images of a small Jewish town, developed by him with love and grotesque, have lived in the performances all along 30 years of the Theater existence.
Such remarkable artists as Rabinovich,
Altman, Falk and Tyshler have worked here too. The story of their creative
activity is intertwined in this movie with the narration about renowned and
tragic fate of the Theater, the small Jewish towns ad the fates of the artists
themselves. The story of seven famous Mark Chagall’s pictures, created in the
twenties and hidden from the audience for a long period, arises on the screen
for the first time.
The movie organically includes some little-known
Chronicle scenes of the small Jewish towns and episodes from the silent film “The Jewish Happiness” with brilliant Mikhoels in the leading part. These scenes and episodes are working as a document.
The scenery and mock-ups, developed by Chief Designer Boim, music of Schwarz, animated cartoons of Turkus and Shelmanov make an indivisible style.
Participation at Film
Festivals: Vyborg (Russia), Paris (Pompidou Center), Geneva – Television
Festival. San Francisco.
