Plot synopsis

Sokurov's latest film is a new parable about the redistribution of power. The realities of life in the early 20's in Soviet Russia, the easily recognisable faces and personalities of the characters of that period in Russian history are not the subject of this film but only the setting of a narrative, a symbolic means for turning a filmic short–story upside down. The Diseased Leader, his Wife and Sister, the Doctor, the Guards, and the Future Successor are portrayed with documentary precision, as well as with the free abstraction of artistic imagination. It is as though the historical environment were being turned inside out on screen, and the fragments of private life magnified — life drawing to its close… By confronting his disease, the historical personality turns out to be a simple human being, unable to change anything — not the destiny of the country under his rule, not even the destiny of his doomed, failed family, nor his own disintegrating personality.
The last realm where the main character still possesses some effort of will is his own feeble body — whose suffering he would like to stop — but this, too, is not in his powers. The conflict between the global pretensions of a demanding will that has not yet expired and an almost total physical and intellectual impotence creates a tragi–comical effect. The drama develops into a parody, while the animated ritual fuss around the “distinguished” patient exposes the tragic motifs of a lonely and desolate human being.
The film director has constructed an artistic and philosophical model of the destructive mechanism of an aggressive will that ultimately suppresses life in its bearer. In his previous film, “Moloch”, Sokurov created a similar model, incorporating various documents of the Third Reich and the environment of Hitler's “fortress”, the Berghof. In his film, “Telets”, he has made use of Russian historical material in the decor, interiors and landscapes of Lenin's residence in Gorki. This is the second film in a trilogy on the decline of power.
Sokurov was also the director of photography of this work and is thus the sole author of all visual aspects of the film. “Telets” is based on the script written by Yuri Arabov. The role of the Leader is played by Leonid Mozgovoy, who also played Hitler in “Moloch”. Other parts were played by St. Petersburg–based actors Maria Kuznetsova, Natalia Nikulenko, Lev Yeliseev, Sergey Razhuk and others.
Alexandra Tuchinskaya
English translation by Nora Hoppe., © 2002
Source : www.sokurov.spb.ru

Commentaries

5 movies about Vladimir Lenin that you can watch ONLINE, Nikolai KORNATSKY, RUSSIA BEYOND, 2024

Les cinq meilleurs films sur Vladimir Lénine que vous pouvez voir en ligne, Nikolaï KORNATSKI, RUSSIA BEYOND, 2024

Alexandre Sokourov, François ALBERA, Mishel ESTEVE, CinémaAction, Editions Charles Corlet, 2009

Прорва. Образ пространства в современной кинодраматургии, Yelena GRACHEVA, seance.ru, 2009

Sur quelques films de Cannes [Taurus d'Alexandre Sokourov], Mario CLOUTIER, Ciné-Bulles, vol. 19, n° 4, 2001, p. 15-19., 2001

Reviews on Kinopoisk

Selected in the following festivals or events :

- Actors, actresses and stars, kinoglaz.fr (France), 2024

- Stalin in contemporary Russian cinema, kinoglaz.fr (France), 2023

- Soirées du cinéma russe de Bordeaux, Bordeaux (France), 2012

- Haifa International Film Festival, Haifa (Israel), 2012

- International Festival of Young Cinema VOICES, Vologda and Cherepovets (Russia), 2011

- Alexandre Sokourov : des pages cachées, Paris (France), 2010

- Honfleur Russian Film Festival, Honfleur (France), 2001

- Festival de Cannes, Cannes (France), 2001

- "NIKA" Prizes, Moscow (Russia), 2001

- Award "White Elephant", Moscow (Russia), 2001

Photos and videos