Clownery

Synopsis

A tragic comedy of the absurd, based on the works of Daniil Kharms (1905-1942). Attempting to recreate the realities of the 1930s, when Kharms’ creativity was at its peak, the director reproduces the style of filming and acting from that era, while introducing an “aged” sound into the picture. As a result, he successfully achieves maximum authenticity of the author’s text, immersing the viewers into the atmosphere in which the master of the absurd lived and worked. This surreal world of illusions, hints, and associations reflects the stream of consciousness of the creator, existing in an era of silence. Paradoxically, this era bears a resemblance to contemporary Russia.

Various works of Daniil Kharms are intricately woven together into a cohesive whole through a certain character dressed in a sailor’s jacket. This character wanders from one “incident” to another, entangling himself in various stories and emerging unharmed from the most improbable situations. The character sweetly embodies the archetype of a revolutionary sailor prevalent in Russian society during the early 1930s. He is quite a good-natured “lumpen”, not devoid of the traits of his class: arrogance, perversity, impudence, and arrogance.

The film features Kharms’ notable works such as “Interference,” “Victory of Myshyn,” “Grigoriev and Semyonov,” among others.

Entry Information
Entry Category: Fiction Feature
Work length: 00:52:00
Country of Origin: Russia

Artist Profile

Official Trailer

Credits

Directed by: Dmitri Frolov

Writing Credits: Dmitri Frolov, Daniil Kharms

Produced by:

  • Dmitri Frolov 
  • Mark Nahamkin 

Cinematography by: Dmitri Frolov 

Editing by: Dmitri Frolov