Russian Ark (2002) poster6

Russia10 Essential Russian FilmsStop 6 of 10

Russian Ark

Русский ковчег

2002 · 99 min · Drama

A disembodied narrator and a time-traveling European aristocrat drift through the halls of St. Petersburg's Winter Palace, wandering across three centuries of Russian history. Alexander Sokurov's astonishing reverie, filmed in one unbroken take.

Why it’s here

Sokurov’s technically singular Hermitage odyssey compresses centuries of Russian history and culture into one continuous shot.

Runtime
99 min
Genre
Drama · Fantasy · History
Mood
thoughtful
Entry
some context
Best for
shorter watch
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Part of 10 Essential Russian Films

This film is stop 6 of 10 in the hand-ranked native-cinema route through Russia. See the complete ranking or read the selection methodology.

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