Thomas Kufus: "Cooperation with Sokurov was one of the most important in my career"

On December,1 the students of our University participated in an interview with the German filmmaker and producer Thomas Kufus. The master told the audience about his life and collaboration with Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov

Thomas began his career with the filming of two documentaries: "My war" and "Blockade". The second picture directed partially filmed in Leningrad, using rare archival photographs and shooting.

– The actions of my second film played out right here, in Leningrad. In 1990 and 1991, during the perestroika, I made a film about the siege. I was about 30 years old. While I was working as an assistant Director in another project, being here in Leningrad, I realized the scale of the city and the scale of the tragedy which people experienced during the blockade.

The film was shown at the German Berlinale film festival, where the picture shocked the German viewers: before none of them have seen terrible shots from the life of besieged Leningrad. In the Leningrad House of cinema was also the premiere, which was led by Alexander Sokurov, is famous in the early 90's only for his documentary films. Thomas Kufus met with him and it was a beginning of a long, fruitful and vital cooperation.

Together with the Russian Director Thomas in the role of producer created a few films: "Whispering pages"(1994), "Mother and son" (1997), "Moloch" (1999), "Father and son" (2003) and "Francophonie" (2015). Mixed feelings among the audience caused the movie "Whispering pages", based on "Crime and punishment" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Due to the distinctiveness of the image of the artistic concept, many in the audience just left the room after 20 minutes from the beginning of the film, but Thomas strongly supported any initiatives of Sokurov.

In the course of the story Thomas Kufus has presented the Honored art worker of the Russian Federation, Professor of the Department of sound engineering Vladimir Persov. With Thomas, they worked together on the set of several films by Alexander Sokurov, the German producer noticed the highly talent of Russian master and teacher.

The second work, which Sokurov created together with Thomas Kufus called "Mother and son". The master stressed that the Russian Director in the late 90s filmed movies, which are strikingly different from the works of Western colleagues. A collaboration of the two countries, Russia and Germany, according to Thomas, at that time was a strange, but very important for world cinema:

– Collaboration with Sokurov was one of the most important in my career. We were one of the first who worked with the Director from Russia. For me, as a producer, it was important to show the films of Alexander Nikolaevich not only at home but also in the world.

It is important to note that the shooting of films joint production of Russia and Germany symbolized the "bridge" between two countries. The friendship of two different peoples evolved into the creation of works of art, which to this day are reviewed by fans of author's cinema.

Thomas Kufus from 2009 to 2015, head of the Board of the German film Academy. In 2016, was awarded the order "For merits before Federal Republic Germany".

At the end, Thomas shared his ideas about what cinema can and should be produced, giving, thus, a implicit edification to young filmmakers.

– I want to participate in the creation of feature films. Despite the fact that whether these works are accepted by the general public or not. It seems to me that the film, to which I give 2-3 years of  professional life, many emotions, energy, work and high expectations, should I like. It's not just the product we produce. This is a very special activity in which I put myself, and I do everything. I want to in the end, the film has turned out the way I pictured it.

 Department of Information and Public Relations