What is the European’s view of Russia?

Russian Ark, a movie, by Sokurov“A journey through 300 hundred years of Russian history”. Russian Ark is a 2002 historical drama film directed by Alexander Sokurov. It was filmed entirely in the Winter Palace of the Russian State Hermitage Museum using a single 96-minute Steadicam sequence shot. The film, abstract in nature, was presented at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.A French marquis wanders through a vast labyrinth of corridors, theaters, and ballrooms of the Hermitage and through various periods of Russian history…Marquis is talking with the narrator, unseen by the audience.Throne Hall reception of the Persian consul by Alexander I, 18211.10.00 — 1.14.22 m, Daughters and wife of Nicolas II in 1916, killed by the Bolsheviks later in 19181.19.00 — 1.21.00 m Great Christmas Ball. Orchestra director is Gergiev, now a director of St. Petersburg Opera1.28.00.—-1.34.00 Staircase. Pushkin is looking for his wife.Questions to discuss in your essay:What is the European’s view of Russia? Watch 15-18 minutes (Vatican’s Rafael Lodges copied in the Hermitage).Why focus on a theater (an early episode). It is a metaphor of what kind of Russian development, discussed in the first week? Does Russia only imitate the Westerness?What is the meaning of an uninterrupted 90- min shot? Why bother?Meaning of the title? The Hermitage is called “Russian Ark”. Why?What is the author’s message about Russia’s history and culture? Optimistic? Pessimistic? Watch the very last moments of the movie.