The film is a trip to the planet Muscovy, which is an upside down space twin of the city of Moscow. As the title of the work suggests, the journey also takes us back in time. Gliding along the surface of the planet, we look down to the sky and see historic architectural styles fly by - the exuberant Socialist Classicism aka Stalinist Empire, the laconic and brutish Soviet Modernism, and the hodgepodge of contemporary knock-offs and revivals of the styles of the past. An essential companion to this journey through time and space are Hymnic Variations on the Soviet anthem by the composer Alexander Manotskov. The anthem was written in 1943 and has undergone three editions of lyrics yet musically remained unchanged to now serve as the official anthem of the Russian Federation. Manotskov used an early recording of the anthem as source material to create three electronic variations each corresponding to an architectural style. As if, in a twist of Goethe’s phrase, architecture plays its frozen music. Look closely, can you hear it?
The Hymns of Muscovy
2017, Russia, 14 min, DCP/2K/3K video
No dialogue
Conceived, directed, and edited by
Dimitri Venkov
Music
Hymnic Variations
composed by
Alexander Manotskov
based on the Soviet national anthem
Director of Photography
Pavel Filkov
Mobile Camera Operator
Heorhi Zamirouski
Camera technicians
Sergei Pavlov
Boris Antonov
Aerial Photography
Kinolet
3D Animation and Compositing artist
Mikhail Maximov
CGI and Color Grading
Vladimir Mogilevsky
Post Production Support
Cosmosfilm
Creative Producer
Kirill Preobrazhenski
Realized with the financial support by
WINZAVOD Contemporary Art Center
2018©Dimitri Venkov
Related texts and links:
Ratings and reviews
Ratings and reviews
review by Ricardo Brunn
Daily Sabah, Dec 10 2018
Arianna Pagliara for pointblank.it
Five Questions to Dimitri Venkov
Point de vues
Adalberto Pagola
Artguide.ru
Moslenta.ru
Artterritory
Дмитрий Венков vs Владимир Паперный: Россия от Сталина до Путина — как другая планета
Борис Клюшников и Мария Сарычева для aroundart.ru
OBERHAUSEN
FIPRESCI PRIZE
OBERHAUSEN
E-FLUX PRIZE
ARQUITETURAS
BEST FICTION FILM
MELBOURNE IFF
BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM
BEAT FILM
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
VANCOUVER IFF
OFFICIAL SELECTION
KANSK VIDEO FESTIVAL
GRAND PRIX
MESSAGE TO MAN
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
ASOLO ART FF
BEST ART FILM
KANDINSKY PRIZE
SHORTLIST
FICMA
BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM
MOSCOW ART PRIZE
Exhibitions:
2020
Moscow Art Prize, Zarydye Park, Moscow - First prize
2019
Kandinsky Prize, MMOMA, Moscow - Shortlist
Gravity Control, MHKA, Antwerp
FILE Electronic Language International Festival, Sao Paolo, Brazil - Highlight
WRO Biennale, Wroclaw, Poland
Expanding Bauhaus #01: Creating Worlds, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam
2018
Invideo 2018, A.I.A.C.E, Milan
Monumental, Ekaterina Foundation, Moscow
Other Shores, Manezh, St.Petersburg
October Overturn, Winzavod CAC, Moscow
Film Festivals:
Oberhausen short film festival
Oberhausen
Germany
May 4, 2018
World premiere
International Competition. FIPRESCI Prize, E-FLUX Prize
Arquiteturas Film Festival
Lisbon
Portugal
June 6, 2018
International Competition. Best fiction film
Beat Film Festival
Moscow
Russian Federation
June 3, 2018
National Competition. Special mention of the jury
Tabor Film Festival
Tabor
Croatia
July 6, 2018
International Competition
Melbourne International Film Festival
Melbourne
Australia
August 12, 2018
Australian premiere
Experimental Shorts. Anna Schwartz Gallery Award for Best Experimental Short Film
Kansk International Video Festival
Kansk
Russian Federation
August 24, 2018
International Competition. Grand Prix
Open City London Documentary Film Festival
London
United Kingdom
September 10, 2018
British premiere
Official selection
Message to Man International Film Festival
Saint Petersburg
Russian Federation
September 17, 2018
In Silico Experimental Competition. Special mention of the jury
Vancouver International Film Festival
Vancouver
Canada
October 7, 2018
North American premiere
Modes Program
Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Netherlands
October 12, 2018
Official selection
Festival For Different And Experimental Cinema
Paris
France
October 12, 2018
International Competition
Cyprus Short Film Festival
Nicosia
Cyprus
October 16, 2018
International Competition
DokumentArt
Neubrandenburg
Germany
October 18, 2018
Eastern Europe Focus
Uppsala International Short Film Festival
Uppsala
Sweden
October 24, 2018
International Competition
Cinetoro Experimental Film Festival
Cali
Colombia
October 30, 2018
CinetoroArt
Teheran International Short Film Festival
Teheran
Islamic Republic of Iran
November 11, 2018
Iranian premiere
International competition
Tous Courts. Festival International de courts métrages
Aix-en-Provence
France
December 5, 2018
Objets singuliers
Leuven Kortfilm Festival
Leuven
Belgium
December 2, 2018
The Labo
Ajyal Film Festival
Doha
Qatar
November 30, 2018
Made in Russia
2Annas International Short Film Festival
Riga
Latvia
November 29, 2018
International Competition
London Short Film Festival
London
United Kingdom
January 12, 2019
International Competition
Revolutions Per Minute Festival
Boston
United States
February 2, 2019
Official Selection
Chambal International Film Festival
Mumbai
India
January 12, 2019
Indian Premiere
International Competition
Bute Street Film Festival
Luton
United Kingdom
March 16, 2019
FilmFest Dresden
Dresden
Germany
April 10, 2019
International Competition
cellu l'art Short Film Festival Jena
Jena
Germany
April 24, 2019
International Competition
29th FILMKUNSTFEST MV
Schwerin
Germany
May 2, 2019
Focus Baltic Sea
NCCC Film & Animation Festival
United States
May 2, 2019
International Competition
White River Indie Film Festival
White River Junction, Vermont
United States
June 1, 2019
Official selection
Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg
Hamburg
Germany
June 5, 2019
LABOR DER GEGENWART III · THERE IS NO MOVEMENT, NOW! SHIFT
Asolo Art Film Festival
Asolo
Italy
June 22, 2019
Italian Premiere
Official Selection. Best Art Film
Odense International Film Festival
Odense
Denmark
August 27, 2019
Danish Premiere
Documentary Competition
Canadian Diversity Film Festival
Toronto
Canada
August 10, 2019
Experimental Superstars
Novi Sad
Serbia
September 7, 2019
Competition
The Bogotá Experimental Film Festival / CineAutopsia
Bogota
Colombia
August 23, 2019
Architektur FilmTage Zürich
Zurich
Switzerland
November 24, 2019
Festival Internacional de Cine con Medios Alternativos FICMA
Mexico City
Mexico
November 28, 2019
International Competition. Best Experimental Short Film - New Digital Narratives