Phantoms of white nights

    Poetic fantasy, choreographic improvisation of young avant-garde artists of Leningrad on the streets of the night city in a short period of white nights. You can call it creative hooliganism, or you can be an inspired attempt to go beyond the ordinary notions of everyday life. On a white night, the fine line between realities is erased. And here: in the open spaces of Peter's nighttime free and happy people, living dancing.

Translated title: 

Призраки белых ночей

Author: 

Year: 

1991

Country: 

Russia
Technical data

Original format: 

16mm

Speed: 

25FPS

Aspect ratio: 

1.37:1

Colour: 

Colour

Sound: 

Sound

Length: 

7 minutes

References: 

                      The last film shot in the USSR

     Black people, red dwarfs, idols on bronze steeds, shadow of geniuses and heroes. This is not story about Hades from an ancient history textbook. This is Sankt-Petersburg In mystical literary tradition such as he is. A pomposity, an open space and - deathness. There is no gleam in the sky, Neva looked like poured by a lead, a crude air presses and can not pass through lungs, which are already struck by bacillus Kochii, and there are around ominous frights, threatening to punish for an unknown offence. And even white nights are bad. It looks as if you can meet phantom of a Poet which was tortured at thirtieth years of any of the last centuries. Be careful with monuments! They fond of walk along town quays (as told us Poushkin - he brings luck!). And do not trust this Neva prospectus. City - phantom, evolved from a bog which is refuge of evil spirits. Brilliant St.-Petersburg! 
           But... Traditions exist not only for unconditionally performing. Look at an open space for best hooliganism: streets, squares, quays of a city-phantom. And Dmitry Frolov broke stereotypes again: he put into the world inhabitants of Petersburg's underground. Who are they? Are they cheerful beggars or spirits? What a matter! At white nights time a thin side between any realities is erased. And look at free and happy people living, dancing at town's spaciousness or multi-coloured dwarfs celebrating an own holiday, while other people have sleeplessness. They are easy and their way on city is easy. They have not business to goods and evil. These mermaids in fragmentary stockings can not give you death. A correct guard of a garbage box will not drag you at his maison and will not lock you in the dwelling for ever. It is simply white night and its inhabitants. Look, they are careless! Perfect scenery for ballet of phantoms, which was peeped and shot by people. At shootings nobody has suffered. 
           After - too.

N.Legkova

 https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/520970

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7204234

Distribution/sales: 

 

TV Pskov, Russia, 1991-1992 

9-th Russian Film Festival "Literature and Cinema", Gatchina, Russia, February-March, 2003;

6-th International Independent Film Festival, St.Petersburg, Russia, November, 2003;

II International Film Festival of Music Films “Film on Music-Music on Film”, Prague, Czech Republic, October, 2005;

8-th Festival of Parallel Cinema "Cinephantom", Moscow, Russia, November 2005.

Image Gallery: 

Phantoms of white nights (1991)
Phantoms of white nights (1991)

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