Oglinda @ German State Theatre Timișoara
“Oglinda” tells the story of a dying man (Alexei) who recalls his childhood and youth, reflecting on his relationships with his parents and his first love. The narrative does not follow a traditional dramatic arc but rather unfolds as an associative stream of thoughts. Tarkovsky blends elements of individual memory with collective history. This autobiographical work breaks away from conventional cinematic storytelling, replacing a linear plot with a free alternation of different time frames.
The first of the two narrative threads explores Alexei’s life, his relationship with his wife Natalia, the struggles in their marriage, and his complicated bond with his mother, Maria. The second thread focuses on Alexei’s childhood, particularly on his mother, Maria. Memories from the 1930s depict her life, with all its hardships and experiences.
The story is not presented in a linear chronology of the present but instead shifts between different moments within scenes. “Oglinda” intertwines key moments of world history with autobiographical memories and dreams. At the same time, “Oglinda” serves as a projection platform for current events: Russian identity in relation to Europe, censorship, freedom of speech and press, and references to conflicts between Russians and Ukrainians are themes embedded in this narrative.
The first of the two narrative threads explores Alexei’s life, his relationship with his wife Natalia, the struggles in their marriage, and his complicated bond with his mother, Maria. The second thread focuses on Alexei’s childhood, particularly on his mother, Maria. Memories from the 1930s depict her life, with all its hardships and experiences.
The story is not presented in a linear chronology of the present but instead shifts between different moments within scenes. “Oglinda” intertwines key moments of world history with autobiographical memories and dreams. At the same time, “Oglinda” serves as a projection platform for current events: Russian identity in relation to Europe, censorship, freedom of speech and press, and references to conflicts between Russians and Ukrainians are themes embedded in this narrative.