Alexander Rogozhkin is probably one of the most underestimated Russian directors outside their own country.
"Svoya chuzhaya zhizn" is made as a serial for television,but it's rather a feature film in 5 parts,where author's struggles and experiences in film industry are reflected through a multi-layered narrative structure.
Contemporary St.Petersburg and Petrograd in early 1920s are contrasted as two opposite worlds. Miserable,banal reality around famous film-director Kalistratov and vital, cruel but romantic era of Communist aristocrats and genius poets(first years of NEP). The latter develops only in Kalistratov's imagination, when he's testing locations, young actors and writing scenario. He knows exactly who must play whom and what kind of details are needed for this project.
But he himself doesn't have any chance to realize it as a film. Big television channel has a right to decide, to make it as a tele-serial which their audience can understand. The producer foresees their decision and recommend Kalistratov to write another scenario. His real life is filled with such obstacles and inconsistency not because of his own faults, but of coincidences, happenings and most of all, will of media-magnates.
"Svoya chuzhaya zhizn" is an answer to contemporary Russian "blockbuters" like "72M" or "Night Watch", saying, "You, newcomers from television don't know what you are doing now.You are destroying Cinema and lives of its professionals".
It's not mere coincidence that this serial's producer, Sergei Sel'yanov was also an independent film-director from early 1980s.He is also on Cinema's side.
"Svoya chuzhaya zhizn" is made as a serial for television,but it's rather a feature film in 5 parts,where author's struggles and experiences in film industry are reflected through a multi-layered narrative structure.
Contemporary St.Petersburg and Petrograd in early 1920s are contrasted as two opposite worlds. Miserable,banal reality around famous film-director Kalistratov and vital, cruel but romantic era of Communist aristocrats and genius poets(first years of NEP). The latter develops only in Kalistratov's imagination, when he's testing locations, young actors and writing scenario. He knows exactly who must play whom and what kind of details are needed for this project.
But he himself doesn't have any chance to realize it as a film. Big television channel has a right to decide, to make it as a tele-serial which their audience can understand. The producer foresees their decision and recommend Kalistratov to write another scenario. His real life is filled with such obstacles and inconsistency not because of his own faults, but of coincidences, happenings and most of all, will of media-magnates.
"Svoya chuzhaya zhizn" is an answer to contemporary Russian "blockbuters" like "72M" or "Night Watch", saying, "You, newcomers from television don't know what you are doing now.You are destroying Cinema and lives of its professionals".
It's not mere coincidence that this serial's producer, Sergei Sel'yanov was also an independent film-director from early 1980s.He is also on Cinema's side.
