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Dreams of the Past (2022)
DREAMS OF THE PAST
This short-film's structure is interesting. In his writing and editing, Dmitri Frolov assembles several atmospheres. Despite a first eloquent shot (an elegant simulation with a pianist starting to play under a cinema screen), the « Dream of the past »'s intro is comedic, even taking codes from slapstick (running people, fainting characters, overacting...). Quickly, the film leans toward bucolic portraits and stagings, happy then serene, then pensive... Until a last part way more serious and darker (eruption of war).
Some of us in the first viewing thought that the story (we mean: the fictional line) should've been more highlighted; but actually, this is not the aim of the film. The whole thing is smart and plunges us into a state of contemplation where simple situations and sketches are indeed more appropriate than a proper narration. This docufiction concept turns out to be very good, and its execution excellent: the archives (taken until 1922) perfectly blend into the director's pictures. The historical reenactment's illusion works. The sound, thanks to its "old-fashioned" quality, is also very immersive. By the way this film would've had its full place in our Musical category.
Two curious technical anachronisms- a few shots in 16:9 format, and the included sound effects of a lonely character's footsteps (in one of the most striking scenes). Which absolutely does not lower anything: « Dreams of the past » takes the audience and without warning slowly instils emotions.
Conclusion
This nostalgic experience, sensory and intellectual at the same time, will touch you more and more minute after minute, until a cold finale that'll make you feel like you've just lived a gripping time travel.
G. W.
Son (1987)
Kino-Teatr.RU
March 3, 1989
In Leningrad, with the participation of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR, the Second Festival of Parallel Cinema "Cine Fantom" is being held. It was a significant event that was talked about, written about. The first screenings were at the Institute of Film Engineers, and then at the House of Cinema. The director of the festival is Sergei Dobrotvorsky, one of the participants in the "parallel" movement (group "Che-paev"). Within the framework of the festival, a video day was organized, like a mini-festival of parallel video.
At the Festival Dmitry Frolov shows his short film "Dream", almost the first surreal film of the perestroika years, the Aleinikov brothers - "Post-Political Cinema". At that time, the scandalous glory of necrorealism, brilliantly directed by Zhenya Yufit, resounded everywhere. Seeing the raging corpses on the screen, half of the hall immediately ran out screaming. Against this background, Aleinikov's cinema looked somehow out of combat: family photos, handmade collages, official portraits to music on one string ... (Seans magazine, No. 10, 1995)
From an interview with Sergei Dobrotvorsky: "A very interesting thing happened at the festival. It seems to me that there was a certain split (I will not say confrontation) between the Moscow and Leningrad directions of parallel cinema. At the festival it became especially clear that Leningraders were shooting one big film for all. While Moscow suddenly turned out to be a haven of purely auteur cinema ".
The result of the Second Festival was massive PR by the Soviet press of parallel cinema, as evidence of the renewal of Soviet society in the era of perestroika and glasnost. In June 1989, the authoritative magazine "Art of Cinema" will publish a selection of materials devoted to "parallels", however, specifically stipulating "its ambiguous attitude towards published materials."