Beli Bim—Chornoye ukho
USSR
, 150 min
Shown in 1978
CREDITS
OTHER
This prizewinner both in the Soviet Union and at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival is the most popular film of the year in the USSR. Directed by award-winning Stanislav Rostotsky (Oscar-nominated in 1973 for The Dawns Are So Quiet Here), the film traces the joys and sorrows that befall a wandering dog named Bim. Through his experiences, we see a varied and fascinating tapestry of the world. Rostotsky is interested in various questions about modern life. By what values should one life, what yardsticks should one use to tell the beautiful from the ugly? Do we have time to pause and look inside ourselves? Shot on location in central Russia, the graceful landscapes make nature one of the main protagonists. And the dog playing the title role acts as if he must have read the script.