Nostalghia (1983)

Director:

Andrey Tarkovskiy

Writers:

Andrey Tarkovskiy (screenplay) &
Tonino Guerra (screenplay)

Release Date:

March 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The Russian poet Gortchakov, accompanied by guide and translator Eugenia, is traveling through Italy...

Plot Keywords:

Dream | Madness | Faith | Philosophy | Black And White Segues Into Color

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Oleg Yankovskiy	...	Andrei Gorchakov
Erland Josephson	...	Domenico
Domiziana Giordano	...	Eugenia
Patrizia Terreno	...	Andrei's Wife
Laura De Marchi	...	Chambermaid
Delia Boccardo	...	Domenico's Wife
Milena Vukotic	...	Civil Servant
Raffaele Di Mario
Rate Furlan
Livio Galassi
Elena Magoia
Piero Vida
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alberto Canepa	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Vittorio Mezzogiorno	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Andrey Tarkovskiy		(as Andrey Tarkovsky)

Writing credits
Andrey Tarkovskiy		(screenplay) (as Andrey Tarkovsky) &
Tonino Guerra		(screenplay)

Produced by
Manolo Bolognini	....	executive producer
Franco Casati	....	producer
Renzo Rossellini	....	executive producer
Daniel Toscan du Plantier	....	producer

Cinematography by
Giuseppe Lanci

Film Editing by
Erminia Marani
Amedeo Salfa

Production Design by
Andrea Crisanti

Set Decoration by
Mauro Passi

Costume Design by
Lina Nerli Taviani

Makeup Department
Iole Cecchini	....	hair stylist
Giulio Mastrantonio	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Filippo Campus	....	production supervisor
Francesco Casati	....	production manager
Valentino Signoretti	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Norman Mozzato	....	assistant director
Larisa Tarkovskaya	....	assistant director (as Larissa Tarkovsky)

Sound Department
Fausto Ancillai	....	sound mixer
Luciano Anzellotti	....	sound effects
Massimo Anzellotti	....	sound effects
Danilo Moroni	....	sound mixer
Remo Ugolinelli	....	sound
Corrado Volpicelli	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Paolo Ricci	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Giancarlo Battaglia	....	assistant camera
Bruno Bruni	....	still photographer
Luigi Cecchini	....	assistant camera
Giuseppe Di Biase	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Roberto Puglisi	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Gino Peguri	....	music consultant

Other crew
Nestore Baratella	....	production accountant
Eutizio Di Salvatore	....	script supervisor
Ivana Fedele	....	assistant dubbing director
Sergio Fiorentini	....	voice dubbing: Erland Josephson
Ilde Muscio	....	script supervisor
Filippo Ottoni	....	dubbing director
Denis Pekarev	....	dubbing consultant
Massimo Perla	....	dog trainer
Raffaele Striano	....	press attache
Lia Tanzi	....	voice dubbing: Domiziana Giordano

Production Companies

• Opera Film Produzione
• Rai Due (as Rete 2 TV RAI)
• Sovinfilm (in collaboration with)

Distributors

• SACIS (1983) (Italy) (all media)
• RaiTrade (1998) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Gaumont (1984) (France) (theatrical)
• Grange Communications Inc. (1984) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Shibata Organisation (1984) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Slovenska Kinoteka (2003) (Slovenia) (theatrical)
• Zazie Films (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 01 Distribuzione (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
• Artificial Eye (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (1997) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Fox Lorber (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• New Line Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Poletel (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Annamode 68  costumes (as Annamode 68 s.r.l.)
• La Valletta  animal supplier: dog "Zoi"
• De Paolis I.N.C.I.R.  studio (as DE PAOLIS INCIR)
• Kodak  film
• Technicolor  color by
• Studio 4  titles
• C.D.S. Studios  sound re-recording (as C.D.S.)
• Società Attori Sincronizzatori (SAS)  dubbing (as S.A.S.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

Italy | Soviet Union

Language:

Italian | Russian

Colour:

Black and White | Colour (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Italy:T | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Hungary:14 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | Hong Kong:IIA

Filming Locations:

Chiesa sommersa di San Vittorino, Cittaducale, Rieti, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Opera Film Produzione

Trivia:

The title of the film is the Russian rendition of the Italian pronunciation for the word 'nostalgia'. This was a deliberate choice on the part of Tarkovsky.

Quotes:

Eugenia:You're the kind I'd sleep with rather than explain why I don't feel like it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Voyage in Time (1983) (TV)

Beautiful, Strange, Powerful, Haunting Masterpiece

There are very few people worthy of the accolade of "Genius" but the late Russian film-maker Andrei Tarkovsky was definitely one of them. In his film-making career he is responsible for some of the most beautiful images ever to be put on a cinema screen.

"Nostalghia" deals with a Russian poet who is in Italy to research the life of a Russian composer, who died there. Accompanied only by his female, Italian, interpretor, who is attracted to him, the poet feels strong feelings of home-sickness for Russia and he strongly misses his wife and child who stayed behind.

This was Tarkovsky's first film made outside the Soviet Union (and his first in a language other than Russian), but it is still very obviously a Tarkovsky film, complete with many haunting images of water and fire. in fact, instead of the beautiful, sun-drenched Italy we are used to seeing on film, here the country is grey, wet and shrouded in mist. As usual in Tarkovsky's films there are many changes between colour footage and black-and-white (or sepia). Here, the poet's memories of Russia are presented in monochrome.

As with all Tarkovsky films, "Nostalghia" demands a great deal from the viewer. It is very slow moving and requires a great deal of patience and concentration. Also, be warned that Tarkovsky did not see cinema as "entertainment" but as an art form. I would advise anyone to make the effort and stick with it, though. It is a great work of art.