Mat i Syn

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Overview

With a visually stunning, quiet intensity, director Alexander Sokurov awakens the senses to the world of nature, human relationships, and death in this film about the poignant last hours of a dying mother and the son who cares for her. The film begins before the first scene and ends after the last, with the sound of wind in the trees and the songs of birds. Special filters and lenses were used to work with reflecting planes, to manipulate light and shadow as an artist would, and to give added dimension to the ...
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Tankerous Media
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Overview

With a visually stunning, quiet intensity, director Alexander Sokurov awakens the senses to the world of nature, human relationships, and death in this film about the poignant last hours of a dying mother and the son who cares for her. The film begins before the first scene and ends after the last, with the sound of wind in the trees and the songs of birds. Special filters and lenses were used to work with reflecting planes, to manipulate light and shadow as an artist would, and to give added dimension to the full experience of living each moment before death. The mother and son are not named, they live in an isolated, run-down home in the countryside, a vast green landscape of trees and fields. One night they have dreamed the same dream, and the son carries the mother outside where he reads old postcards to her and they reminisce about their past - strengthening themselves against the impact of a separation they know is coming soon. Paths - through the forest, along a railroad track, and that of a sailing boat heading across an infinite body of water - symbolize the journey the mother has taken and another she will take soon. This combination of the subtle use of images to evoke a greater reality, the astounding use of sound to evoke something unseen but sensed, provides a measure for the depth of the communication and caring between the mother and son. Although Sokurov's evocative, intimate drama begins slowly - and so may put off some viewers - it is worth the wait to see how the story is told.
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler
Mat i Syn is quite literally a film unlike any other. Indeed, it may be more accurate to describe Mat as a cinematic experience rather than a film, so unlike typical films is it. Because it is so sui generis, it is likely to inspire wildly divergent reactions among viewers. Those who are drawn to traditional narratives, for example, may not be able to tolerate Mat i Syn, which is essentially a moody, elegiac character study rather than a plot-driven film. Yet those who gravitate toward traditional character studies may also be frustrated, as there is not a tremendous development or deeper understanding of the characters from the first frame to the last. Instead, the viewer experiences the wrenching emotional tie that binds the two characters: an intensely felt love that is both cleansing and painful. This connection is palpable from the first moment and carries on throughout the film. The work of the two actors is incredibly naturalistic and believable, especially in the pauses. The film is filled with pauses, but they are not pauses of a Harold Pinter style; instead they are pauses that are simultaneously more mundane and more meaningful. Framing the actors, and equally as important, are the gorgeous visuals: images that shimmer and fade and gleam, suffused with light and shadow and color, and which are simply magnificent. Director Alexander Sokurov's precise, intense vision is brought to vivid life through Alexei Fyodorov's incredible cinematography, the two combining with Vladimir Persov and Martin Steyer's impeccable sound design to create a visual and aural landscape of the soul that is unforgettable.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 12/19/2000
  • UPC: 720917524221
  • Original Release: 1997

    • Rating:

  • Source: Fox Lorber
  • Region Code: 1
  • Aspect Ratio: Theatre Wide-Screen (1.85.1)
  • Presentation: Wide Screen
  • Language: Russian
  • Time: 1:13:00
  • Format: DVD

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Alexei Ananishnov Son
Gudrun Geyer Mother
Technical Credits
Alexander Sokurov Director
Yuri Arabov Screenwriter
Alexei Fyodorov Cinematographer
Thomas Kufus Producer
Vladimir Persov Sound/Sound Designer
Esther Ritterbusch Art Director
Leda Semyonova Editor
Martin Steyer Sound/Sound Designer
Vera Zelinskaya Art Director
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Scene Index

Menu Group #1 with 8 chapter(s) covering 01:08:23
1. Mother. [6:34]
2. In the field. [3:02]
3. Old postcards. [9:46]
4. The wind. [15:32]
5. Butterfly. [12:37]
6. Reflection. [2:19]
7. Mortem. [13:45]
8. Post-mortem. [4:44]
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Menu

Side #1
Menu Group #1 with 8 chapter(s) covering 01:08:23
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 23, 2010

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