Tarkovsky

Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky (1932–1986) was a Soviet and Russian filmmaker whose work is widely regarded as among the most influential in world cinema. His films are noted for their spiritual and philosophical concerns, exploration of memory and time, and distinctive formal style that emphasizes composition, long takes, and sparse dialogue.

Born in 1932 in the Soviet Union, Tarkovsky studied at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow, where he developed a method blending lyric imagery with narrative meditation. He directed his early feature Ivan's Childhood (1962), which established his interest in memory and childhood experience, followed by the expansive epic Andrei Rublev (1966), a meditation on art, faith, and history.

His subsequent works include Solaris (1972), a philosophical science fiction adaptation; The Mirror (1975), an experimental autobiography; Stalker (1979), a spiritual quest through a forbidden zone; and The Sacrifice (1986), his final film, produced in Sweden and France. Each project emphasizes atmosphere, visual poetry, and a restrained dramatic cadence.

Tarkovsky's style is marked by long takes, slow pacing, minimal conventional score, and a use of landscapes and architecture as symbolic space. His work often merges personal memory with broader metaphysical questions, drawing on Russian Orthodox imagery and universal concerns about art, faith, and human survival.

His critical reputation grew after his death, and he is frequently cited as a major influence on contemporary cinema. Films and writings about Tarkovsky continue to shape discussions of cinema as a form of spiritual and philosophical inquiry.