Celebration of Russian cinema

To coincide with the Russian Winter Festival, there will be free screenings of Russian films at the Barbican on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 January, supported by the Mayor.

For tickets and film screening times please visit www.barbican.org.uk or call the Barbican box office on 020 7638 8891. Tickets are free and must be booked in person or by calling the box office. Only two tickets can be booked per person per booking.

Two of the films were hits at the Moscow International Film Festival and the remaining two are Russian classics, all showcasing the skill and variety of contemporary Russian cinema talent. The free screenings will be in Russian, with English subtitles.

Two In One, (Dva v odnom) directed by Muratova is a fusion of psychological mystery, family feuds and contemporary theatre where backstage reality meets onstage drama. (15)
Cargo 200 (Gruz-200) is acclaimed director Aleksei Balabanov’s eleventh film, a tour-de force of metaphor and a white-knuckle thriller on the death and rebirth of a country. (18)
The Return, (Vozvrashcheniye) winner of the Golden Lion at the 2003 Venice Film Festival, is a beautiful film rich in political and religious symbolism directed by Andrei Zvyagintsev. (12A)
Russian Ark, (Russkiy kovcheg) directed by Aleksandr Sokurov presents the ark of the Russian soul, the Hermitage art collection of St. Petersburg where characters and scenes from Russian history come to life. (U)

As well as the film festival and the Russian Winter Festival, other cultural events in London showcasing Russian culture include the Pet Shop Boy’s scored version of Battleship Potemkin at the Barbican and the eagerly anticipated ‘From Russia’ exhibition of French and Russian masters at the Royal Academy.

The Russian film screenings are presented by the Barbican and David P Kelly films, with support from the Mayor of London.

Two in One and Cargo 200 have Barbican local classifications.