Life is Beautiful (12+)
Russia, 1990, colour, 24 min.
Director: Peter Mostovoy
Director: Peter Mostovoy
This is the first film about Leon Trotsky, filmed in Russia in more than 50 years. Unlike films, shot in Europe or USA, this film depicts life and death of one of the leaders of Russian revolution as a classical tragedy of a hero, while his murderer Ramon Merkader is presented as Oedipus bred on Trotsky’s ideas. For the first time, we can learn about the story of Trotsky’s love to his wife Natalya, based on his diaries. His character, talented, smart, obsessed with the ideology sacrifices his family and common people for the sake of revolution and only on his deathbed he comes back to the understanding that… life is beautiful. The film was shot in Trotsky’s Mexican residence and is confined to a half-century anniversary of his death. Many previously classified documents, photos and tapes of Trotsky, Stalin and Russian spies were used in the film as well.
Peter Mostovoy
Peter Mostovoy
was born in 1938. He graduated from St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical Institute in 1961 and from Russian State University of Cinematography (workshop of P. Nogin, the cinematography faculty). Worked as a director and DoP at Central Studio for Documentary Film and St. Petersburg Studio for Documentary Film. Worked as an art director of Risk Film Studio. Was leading a workshop for High Courses for Scriptwriters and Film Directors, for Norwegian National Film Centre. At 1993 emigrated to Israel, since 1994 worked as a freelance director for Israeli Television. From 2000 to 2002 was a member of the Israeli Council on Cinema of the Ministry of Science, Culture, and Sport.
FILMOGRAPHY
Military Orchestra, 1968; Three Lessons Only, 1969; Master Byalkovskiy and Comrades, 1971; Calm Day of June, 1971; I am a Citizen of the Soviet Union, 1972; From Sofia to Berlin, 1973; Anniversary of V. Mayakovsky, 1973; The Judge. Actions and people, 1975; A Date. 10 Years Later, 1979; High Stage Tribune, 1981; Symphony of the World, 1981; Military-Strategic Parity, 1985; Collaboration, 1985; Take-off for You, 1985; About Moscow with Hope and Anxiety, 1986; Space Wars, 1987; Star Wars, 1987; Nuclear Pox, 1988; Black Terror, 1989; Life is Beautiful, 1990; One among Many Wandering Stars, 1990; Red Woods, 1992; Bach in Sandals, 1994; 2 Hours on the Holy Land, 1996; Stage, 2005.
Russia, 1990, colour, 24 min.
Director: Peter Mostovoy
Director: Peter Mostovoy
This is the first film about Leon Trotsky, filmed in Russia in more than 50 years. Unlike films, shot in Europe or USA, this film depicts life and death of one of the leaders of Russian revolution as a classical tragedy of a hero, while his murderer Ramon Merkader is presented as Oedipus bred on Trotsky’s ideas. For the first time, we can learn about the story of Trotsky’s love to his wife Natalya, based on his diaries. His character, talented, smart, obsessed with the ideology sacrifices his family and common people for the sake of revolution and only on his deathbed he comes back to the understanding that… life is beautiful. The film was shot in Trotsky’s Mexican residence and is confined to a half-century anniversary of his death. Many previously classified documents, photos and tapes of Trotsky, Stalin and Russian spies were used in the film as well.