Painful Indifference (Anaestesia Psychica Dolorosa)

A man decides to remain in hiding in the hope that the problems in his existence will be resolved, that history will say “Enough!” to tragedy, and that society will not engender new horrors. At the start of the 21st century, the theme concerning the defenseless and frail nature of a human being - closest to the heart of the film maker - appears more up-to-date than ever before. In his way, Sokúrov seems to be saying to us that civilization, science, technique, and culture, may come to grief at any moment in time, sweeping along with them all of the narcissistic pride in man. The film is an anthology of the most important resources that were later to be developed by the film maker, such as documental scenes together with distorted images, dissonant editing, opting for amateurs acting together with professionals. Painful Indifference scandalized the Russian government and, between 1983 and 1987, filming was, on several occasions, interrupted.

Was born in 1951 in the city of Podorvikha, Russia. His work, even as a student, was unacceptable to Russian bureaucracy, and he was accused of formalism and of assuming "anti-Soviet views". His first feature, The Lonely Human Voice (1978, 26th Mostra) was refused as a graduating project by the VGIK, the Russian Cinema Institute. Sokurov`s films were shown in Brazil since 1997, at the 21st Mostra, with Mother and Son. He had a retrospective of 33 of his films at 26th Mostra, when was also released the first book in Portuguese about his work, Aleksandr Sokúrov, by publishing house Cosac Naify. Among his most important films are Dolce (1999, 24th Mostra), Elegy of a Voyage (2001, 25th Mostra), The Russian Arc (2002, 26th Mostra), Father and Son (2003, 27th Mostra) Alexandra (2007, 32nd Mostra), in addition to the films that complete the Power Tetralogy: Moloch (1999, 23rd Mostra) about Hitler; Taurus, about Lenin (2001, 26th Mostra), and The Sun, about the Japanese emperor Hirohito (2005, 30th Mostra).

43ª MOSTRA INTERNACIONAL DE CINEMA

43ª MOSTRA INTERNACIONAL DE CINEMA