After showing the film "Welcome or No Trespassing", a smiling Yury Urnov gives a discussion with viewers and students. The film was a part of the Theatre Department's project to get students of all disciplines interested in Russian history and culture. TOWSON- On November 9, 2009, it will be the twentieth anniversary of the Berlin Wall collapse. It was 1989 when people gathered in Germany with hammers to break the wall down and help people over it. It was the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a reformed Russian government.
Now Yury Urnov, a citizen of Moscow, has arrived at Towson University. He is both a Fulbright Scholar in Residence and a Russian director, and plans to spend the next ten months here as a professor in directing. He also teaches dramaturgy alongside another professor, Dr. Robyn Quick.
Urnov, 33, is also hosting and translating a series of Russian cult films recently, which he will continue to show on Saturday nights until October 17. The last film he showed was Welcome or No Trespassing, shown last Saturday, October 3, which was made in 1964 in Russia and released after Nikita Krushchev was no longer in office.
This is one of the elements of a project in progress with Towson's Department of Theatre. One of the goals of the Theatre Department's project was "to promote learning across disciplines about Russia," Quick said. "I was very excited that we were able to connect with Electronic Media and Film Department Chairperson Greg Faller and to offer films as one more way of learning about Russian culture.”
To understand Russia's current issues, students need to understand its past through the arts.
"It gives you the way to tell something about the country, the people, the nation, which can be told only through the arts," Urnov said. "So if you watch the Russian film, for example, you’ll get much more about Russia or Soviet Union than from ten hours of talking to somebody. It gives everything; it gives images, it gives moods, it shows you what is similar and what’s different."
It is important that Americans should see these films for a better understanding, according to United States diplomat Ken Duckworth. “I think that for Americans to see it and look at what people were watching at that time in the Soviet Union," he said. "This was the Cold War, this was the mirror image of the U.S. But yet, you see the similarities.”
However, he still doesn't understand how the Russians "operate", even after the Cold War. "From a political standpoint, I can look at it and say ‘when I was there, there were people who were engaged in politics, that it seemed that they had more lives than a cat'," Duckworth said. "They would fall out of favor and resign from office or get kicked out or leave in disgrace, or be left with some scandal.”
“And then three months later, or three years later I’m watching television,” he continued. “And in the background, I see- ‘is that Boris Yeltsin’s campaign manager from 1996?’ Here he is, working with President Vladimir Putin."
Students were able to discuss with Urnov and everyone else after the film to better understand both the film and Russian culture then and now. “I guess I learned more about Russian people and their sense of humor and outlook on life," freshman art major Wendy Fitch said. "Especially the discussion afterwards, that was interesting.”
In addition to the Russian cult films, the Theatre Department is going to present seven new Russian plays to campus later in the year, Quick said. The first one is called Vodka, Fucking, and Television, which will be a workshop production of a contemporary “allegorical” play opening October 21. “It’s a very funny play, a very cynical play, and it has a lot to say about the generation of young adults in Russia today and some of the struggles they’re encountering in this world that’s in transition," she said.
For Duckworth, he wants to go back and visit the country after viewing the film. “I’m someone who’s spent seven years living there," he said. "For me, it’s interesting to see this or just to be re engaged with the culture. I haven’t been there for ten years.”
Urnov hasn't been to Russia in three months and he already misses his home. “I miss some things and some people. When they come to your dreams and you think of them, and then you call them, probably talk to them, sending pictures, that’s how I miss them,” he said.
The next film viewing is Kin-Dza-Dza on Saturday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Van Bokkelen auditorium. More information about upcoming events are on the Theatre Department's website and at newrussiandrama.org. More on the Russian cult films can be found on the Arts and Culture calendar.
Now Yury Urnov, a citizen of Moscow, has arrived at Towson University. He is both a Fulbright Scholar in Residence and a Russian director, and plans to spend the next ten months here as a professor in directing. He also teaches dramaturgy alongside another professor, Dr. Robyn Quick.
Urnov, 33, is also hosting and translating a series of Russian cult films recently, which he will continue to show on Saturday nights until October 17. The last film he showed was Welcome or No Trespassing, shown last Saturday, October 3, which was made in 1964 in Russia and released after Nikita Krushchev was no longer in office.
This is one of the elements of a project in progress with Towson's Department of Theatre. One of the goals of the Theatre Department's project was "to promote learning across disciplines about Russia," Quick said. "I was very excited that we were able to connect with Electronic Media and Film Department Chairperson Greg Faller and to offer films as one more way of learning about Russian culture.”
To understand Russia's current issues, students need to understand its past through the arts.
"It gives you the way to tell something about the country, the people, the nation, which can be told only through the arts," Urnov said. "So if you watch the Russian film, for example, you’ll get much more about Russia or Soviet Union than from ten hours of talking to somebody. It gives everything; it gives images, it gives moods, it shows you what is similar and what’s different."
It is important that Americans should see these films for a better understanding, according to United States diplomat Ken Duckworth. “I think that for Americans to see it and look at what people were watching at that time in the Soviet Union," he said. "This was the Cold War, this was the mirror image of the U.S. But yet, you see the similarities.”
However, he still doesn't understand how the Russians "operate", even after the Cold War. "From a political standpoint, I can look at it and say ‘when I was there, there were people who were engaged in politics, that it seemed that they had more lives than a cat'," Duckworth said. "They would fall out of favor and resign from office or get kicked out or leave in disgrace, or be left with some scandal.”
“And then three months later, or three years later I’m watching television,” he continued. “And in the background, I see- ‘is that Boris Yeltsin’s campaign manager from 1996?’ Here he is, working with President Vladimir Putin."
Students were able to discuss with Urnov and everyone else after the film to better understand both the film and Russian culture then and now. “I guess I learned more about Russian people and their sense of humor and outlook on life," freshman art major Wendy Fitch said. "Especially the discussion afterwards, that was interesting.”
In addition to the Russian cult films, the Theatre Department is going to present seven new Russian plays to campus later in the year, Quick said. The first one is called Vodka, Fucking, and Television, which will be a workshop production of a contemporary “allegorical” play opening October 21. “It’s a very funny play, a very cynical play, and it has a lot to say about the generation of young adults in Russia today and some of the struggles they’re encountering in this world that’s in transition," she said.
For Duckworth, he wants to go back and visit the country after viewing the film. “I’m someone who’s spent seven years living there," he said. "For me, it’s interesting to see this or just to be re engaged with the culture. I haven’t been there for ten years.”
Urnov hasn't been to Russia in three months and he already misses his home. “I miss some things and some people. When they come to your dreams and you think of them, and then you call them, probably talk to them, sending pictures, that’s how I miss them,” he said.
The next film viewing is Kin-Dza-Dza on Saturday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Van Bokkelen auditorium. More information about upcoming events are on the Theatre Department's website and at newrussiandrama.org. More on the Russian cult films can be found on the Arts and Culture calendar.
