The Legend Of Suram Fortress/ Ashik Kerib

Two Films by Sergei Paradjanov

The Legend Of Suram Fortress:
Based on ancient legend, this dazzling film by visionary Russian director Sergei Paradjanov is a surreal ode to the Georgian warriors throughout the ages who dies for their country. Repeated efforts by the Georgian people to construct a defensive stronghold continually fail. The building collapse until a fortune teller remembers an old prophecy that the son of her erstwhile lover must be bricked up alive in order for the fortress to stand.

Ashik Kerib:
In recounting Lermontov's fable of a wandering minstrel, trying to earn enough money to marry the girl he loves, Paradjanov dispenses with conventional storytelling devices in order to present a boldly unique cinematic experience. Glorious tableaux, exquisitely composed, choreographed and photographed, are combined with intertitles, images of early Russian artwork and a haunting blend of traditional and contemporary musical forms, to create an enthralling and utterly unforgettable film.