A Director Is Obliged To Defend The Culture

Studying and understanding previous contributions to the heritage of art prepares us to express the "new word" of life.

At the same time, the work for the film "Ivan" continues. In these monstrous days of the war, director Sergei Eisenstein takes into account the armed struggle against fascism, being forced to defend culture. He is pained by every new barbarity: the destruction of the incomparable medieval frescoes in Pskov and Novgorod, the palaces and artesian fountains of the 18th century in Leningrad, the cathedrals near Moscow, the hydroelectric plant on the Dnieper... He is terribly hurt by the sacrifice of human lives that are lost facing the German plague.

But at the same time, he thinks from the beginning about the days after the war, about the tomorrow of culture and art that he too is called to ensure by making every sacrifice to hasten its arrival and being ready armed to the teeth with the experience of the past for that the torches in our hands, in the hands of those who are waiting for the light, be clean and ready for that moment when our art will have to express the new word of life.

However, he considers his main task to be the defense and preservation of culture. In the same August he finishes his study of El Greco, writes an English version of the study of Griffith and the history of montage in the various arts and also prepares an overview of the foreground idea throughout the history of the arts.

How can you take the essence of your soul and give it to the world through a masterpiece, despite the shift of images from "beautiful" to "ugly" and the decrease in importance of creative work?

The worldwide effect of the destruction of art is the clear shift of some images from the stage of "beautiful" to the stage of "ugly", a fact that decreases the importance of creative work. Only the screenings preserve (and will preserve in the immediate future) a good part of the creations, and the photo reproduction of the images for the next generations, or the books that reproduce the truth of the times, so that the occasional beneficiaries of art assimilate more of the aspects of the old and new world.

The technical systems for making films, recording, processing, storing, transmitting and playing images in clear, due to the complexity of the technology and the particularly large volume of information storage, evolved somewhat more slowly during Eisenstein's time than today. Nevertheless, the evolution achieved and the trends observed established very clearly the way of image processing in order to train the next generation of artists, taking over the traditional directorial responsibilities. For this reason, we must understand the pain of a director: not being able to include in one shot all the images that will make history, even after the reality will be grim.

How does your work reflect your deep commitment to culture, and how can you integrate that commitment into your own work so that it conveys an authentic and powerful message?

During these "monstrous" days of the war, Eisenstein considered essential not only the armed struggle, but also the defense of the cultural treasure, which the war tended to destroy. A filmmaker's work always focuses on saving and preserving heritage elements - medieval frescoes, palaces, cathedrals, even technical infrastructure such as hydroelectric plants. This reflects his deep commitment to "culture and art" and a desire to ensure that the "torches" of knowledge and inspiration are kept clean to light the days after conflict.

This commitment is visible not only in his immediate actions, but also in his long-term work, preparing studies on significant figures such as El Greco and Griffith, or on significant techniques in art, such as the history of montage. Thus, Eisenstein not only protects the existing cultural heritage, but also contributes to the continuous development of the artistic discourse.

Therefore, this "new word of life" could be interpreted as a desire to bring a new and deeper perspective on the human condition, through art. During the war, Eisenstein felt the need to protect the culture and express the truth about the horrors he witnessed. At the same time, he placed his hopes in the possibility that, after the war, art and culture could express a better, fairer, more just and humane world.

In this sense, the "new word of life" could symbolize a change in the way people relate to art and culture, and how they can contribute to the moral and spiritual reconstruction of society after the war. Art should become a powerful tool for promoting peace, justice and progress, thus reflecting the values and aspirations of a new era.

To become a true artist you have to integrate in your creation significant techniques in art, such as the history of montage, to express the "new word of life" despite the realities of the times.

No one knows what goes on in the soul of a director, except for those artists who have faced the problems of creative work during times of crisis. An artist must maintain his creativity and follow his vision even in difficult moments, ignoring the surrounding obstacles.

* Note: Ion Barna - Eisenstein, Tineretului Publishing House, 1966.