Sergei Parajanov was born in Tbilisi into an Armenian family and became one of the most unusual directors in Soviet cinema. His films look more like painting than conventional storytelling. In 1974 he was arrested in Kiev and spent several years in custody. Why did this happen, and how did he keep working even after losing his freedom?
In this video we follow Parajanov’s path: from his childhood in the multicultural city of Tbilisi and his studies at VGIK, through films such as Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors and The Colour of Pomegranates, to his arrest, imprisonment, collages, and final years in Yerevan. We rely on facts and look closely at the points where sources disagree.
Subscribe if you enjoy forgotten figures from the Caucasus. Tell us in the comments which Parajanov film you would like to see explored in more detail.
Chapters (approximate, adjust after editing):
00:00 Introduction
02:00 Tbilisi and childhood
04:30 VGIK and the first films
07:30 Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
10:00 The Colour of Pomegranates
13:00 Late films
14:30 The 1974 arrest
16:30 Imprisonment and the campaign for release
18:30 Collages and the museum in Yerevan
20:30 Legacy and conclusion
source