04 · 11 · 19

VIDEO: The Killers, Andréi Tarkovsky's first short film

Born in Zavrazhye, in Ivanovo Oblast, Andréi Tarkovsky is considered one of the most influential authors of cinema in Soviet times with only seven feature films in his filmography.

In 1954, Tarkovsky applied to the State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK), one of the most prestigious universities in Russia, where he was admitted to the film directing program. It was precisely during his student days when Andréi filmed three short films: The Killers (1956), There Will Be No Leave Today (1959) and The Streamroller and the Violin (1961).

The Killers, Tarkovsky's first work, was filmed along with Marika Beiku and Aleksandr Gordon, Andrei's classmates, and is based on the short story of the same name by Ernest Hemingway written in 1927. Trkovsky had the idea of adapting the story.

The VGIK did not have sufficient resources and materials, so the roles were played by the students themselves, who also had to look for their own cameras. Beiku, Gordon and Tarkovsky were responsible for setting up an American bar in the school's studios.

Next we present you The Killers, Andréi Tarkovsky's first short film: