An emotional trope of a great director.
The cinema of Andrei Tarkovsky is one of reflection: in its frames we see ourselves, either individually or collectively, we see the hopes and fears and longings that come with being human, being a citizen of the modern age, and being autonomous to the point of being ultimately alone. Tarkovsky used reflection as a means by which to extrapolate stories that simultaneously represent the way we are and postulate on what we can become, for both better and worse.
From the man himself:
“I see it as my duty to stimulate reflection on what is essentially human and eternal in each individual soul, and which all too often a person will pass by, even though his fate lies in his hands.”
As such, the director frequently worked physical reflections into his films for the purpose of – pardon the pun – mirroring the reflective nature of his themes and narratives. Editor Daniel McIlwraith has collected these reflections and assembled them into a brief and poetic montage that reveals whether it’s by mirrors, water, glass, or even the eyes of another, when you’re watching the cinema of Tarkovsky, in many ways you’re watching the cinema of you.
Related Topics: Andrei Tarkovsky
