TV channel “Culture”

The film is based on the conducted International Forum “Empire. Four dimensions of Andrei Bitov” which was held in October, 2007 in St. Petersburg in V. Nabokov’s museum. Each of four parts consists of fragments of shots conducted at this Forum, speeches of the writer’s friends, critics, literary experts, publishers from different countries.

1st episode “Where have these wonderful faces disappeared?” (watch the episode)

The programme begins with Andrei Bitov’ thoughts about Vladimir Nabokov’s destiny, Bitov, being the famous writer, found something similar in his creative manner to his literary ideas.

Participants: Boris Averin, architect Alezander Velikanov, literary expert Kira Uspenskaya, publisher Sergei Shevyrev, poet Yuz Aleshkovsky, poet Lidia Gladkaya, writer Valery Popov, writer, director Revaz Gabriadze.

2nd episode “Leningrad novel” (watch the episode)

The programme is based on peripeties connected with publishing of the main Bitov’s book – the novel “Pushkin’s house”. For the writer “Pushkin’s house” has broad and figurative meaning: “…everything, Russian literature, Petersburg (Leningrad), Russia, is more or less connected with Pushkin’s house…”. In Bitov’s perception the image of Leningrad-Petersburg is multi-layer and multi-facet one, it unites several epochs. There is inseparable connection of the writer and the city where his “Bitov’s” empire started: the Karpovka river embankment, Botanical garden, Aptekarsky island. The culmination of the programme is the moment when the manuscript of the novel “Pushkin’s house” is given for storage to Pushkin’s house based on its staff request.

Participants Boris Averin, professor of St. Petersburg State University, architect Alexander Velikanov, Sergei Fomichev, literary expert and chief scientific expert of the Institute of Russian literature (“Pushkin’s house”), Kira Uspenskaya, literary expert, editor assist to reveal the topic of the second part of the film.

3rd episode “Seven journeys” (watch the episode)

The programme name is based on the title of Andrei Bitov’s book, authors of the programme try to show that the writer’s books are always journeys in time, countries, labyrinths of people’s feelings and actions. His manner of writing is the unique way to cognize the world through yourself, to learn Russia though other countries: Armenia, Georgia, America.

The programme tells viewers about long-time friendship and creative cooperation of Andrei Bitov with the writer Grant Matevosyan and playwright and artist Revaz Gabriadze whose exhibition was visited by the Forum participants.

The participants of programme are Nina Gabrielyan, poet, prosaic, artist, David Matevosyan, son of Bitov’s late close friend Grant Matevosyan, Revaz Gabriadze, writer, director, artist, Priscilla Mayer, professor of Russian literature in Princeton University, Grigory Kozlov, director who staged the play “Penelopa” based on A.Bitov’s story on the stage of St. Petersburg Academic Lensovet Theatre.

4th episode “The Catechumen” (watch the episode)

The last programme begins from Andrei Bitov’s pondering on his generation who was born in 1937, about what became the starting point for this generation consisting of many talented people. There also thoughts of the writer who continues active work on new texts about the influence of Stalin and Socialist society on the man’s soul, about such fundamental issues as man-nature, history-culture, life and death interaction. Ecology is one of the main Bitov’s topics.

The programme tells us that Andrei Bitov is the author of idea on which literary and musical composition is based. It implies reading of rough copies of Pushkin’s famous poems.

The participants of the programme include Bella Akhmadulina, poet and translator, Sergei Shevelev, translator and publisher, Marina Smirnova, literary expert, executive director of the International Association “Live classics”.

Photos from the filming: