On July 14, Saturday, 5-7pm, Silk Road House presents:
The Color of Pomegranates
"The Color of Pomegranates" (original title "Sayat Nova") -- a 1969 film by Sergei Paradjanov about the celebrated Armenian poet, musician, troubadour, folk philosopher, and archbishop Sayat Nova (1712/1722-1795). So far about 230 songs have been attributed to Sayat-Nova ("Master of Songs"), although he may have written thousands more. He wrote equally well in Armenian, Georgian, Turkic, and Persian.
One of the greatest masterpieces of the 20th century, Parajanov's film is not so much a biography, but a series of tableaux vivants of Armenian costume, embroidery and rituals interspersed with scenes and verses from the poet's life: there is no plot and no narrative. Paradjanov is often using a motion picture camera to recreate icon paintings or Byzantine mosaics. The score, consisting of horn blasts, lutes, lyres, and gorgeous choral pieces has an ancient quality that lends a somber or sacred tone to almost every moment. Combined with excerpts from Sayat Nova's poems, many scenes recall the sensual, ecstatic, and transcendental works of the Sufi mystic poet Rumi.
Sergei Paradjanov (1924-1990) writes, directs, edits, choreographs, works on costumes, design and decor and virtually every aspect of this revolutionary (some say, surrealist) movie void of any dialog or camera movement, and Sofiko Tchiaureli (1937-2008) plays six roles, both male and female. Photography A. Samvelian. Shot in Yerevan, the film benefited from local museums and the Armenian Church. There has never been a film like this magical work - esthetically the most extreme film ever made in the USSR.
Running time: 88 minutes. In Russian with English subtitles.
The screening will be introduced and commented on by Alma Kunanbaeva.
By this film, Silk Road House continues its mini festival of four masterpieces by the outstanding director Sergei Paradjanov, screening them in a chronological order.
Silk Road House, 1944 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 (between Milvia and Martin Luther King; enter by side door in passageway under black Zabu Zabu awning). Tel.: 510-981-0700. E-mail: silkroadhouse@yahoo.com
Silk Road House events are sponsored by the Silkroad Foundation.
