Andrey Tarkovsky is one of the greatest movie directors of the 20-th century, a creator of a film language of his own, a philosopher, a personality of cosmic dimensions. His creativity is still a mystery and enigma, unique in its spirituality. Tarkovsky’s picturesque plasticity, exceptional musicality, emotional and intellectual energy of his films, filled with all sorts of literary and cultural associations, keep on attracting new generations of viewers. Tarkovsky’s name is fairly placed next to other outstanding world filmmakers like Federico Fellini and Ingmar Bergman, who admired the Russian colleague’s movies. We are pleased that Andrey Arsenievich Tarkovsky is not only our compatriot, but our fellow-countryman, born in Zavrazhie village, Yurievets district of Ivanovo oblast, the town of his childhood being Yurievets.

 

Days of Andrey Tarkovsky to commemorate his memory were held for the first time in Yurieverts, the director’s “small motherland” on his birthday in April 1990. The event was organized by The Tarkovsky Society attached to the USSR Filmmakers Union and the USSR Academy of Science and Tarkovsky Foundation.

The House-Museum of the great film director was opened in1996 году — tenth anniversary of Andrey Tarkovsky’s death – in Yurievets, the town of his childhood.

The first regional festival “Tarkovsky’s Days in Ivanovo land”, devoted to the director’s 70-th anniversary and initiated by the Ivanovo Oblast Committee on Culture and Arts and “Ivkinoservice”, was held in 2002. The Festival April days traditionally attract to Yurievets (the director’s motherland) cultural pilgrims – filmmakers, coworkers, admirers of his work. Filmmakers have meetings with local cinema goers. Yurievets in different years was visited by actor Yury Nazarov, director and actor Nikolay Burliaev, actresses Margarita Terekhova, Alla Demidova, Natalia Bondarchuk, Elena Sanaeva. A big group of film experts also came to Yurievets, including Nea Zorkaya and Leonid Kozlov, “Andrey Rublev” administrator Tamara Ogorodnikova, director, co-student and friend Aleksandr Gordon, poet and journalist Yury Kublanovsky. Andrey Tarkovsky’s sister Marina Tarkovsky, instrumental in setting and organizing Andrey Tarkovsky House-Museum, frequently visits “Tarkovsky’s Days”.

Two Marina Tarkovsky’s books: “Oskolki Zerkala” (Mirror Fragments) and “On Tarkovsky” collection were presented in the House-Museum.

 

In 2007 to honor the Andrey Tarkovsky 75–th anniversary the RF Ivanovo Oblast Government supported by the RF Ministry of Culture set “Zerkalo” International Film Festival named after Andrey Tarkovsky.