“Good doesn't exist, but evil does.”

Goethe's version of the Faust legend gets a dense and idiosyncratic reinterpretation at the hands of Russian master Aleksander Sokurov (Russian Ark)

Soaked in an intoxicating cascade of imagery reminiscent of the Dutch masters, the story of one man's bargain with the devil has been described by the director as “a reading of what remains between the lines” rather than a direct adaptation.

Bold and challenging, Faust is the fourth and final instalment in Sokurov's ‘tetralogy of power', following his studies of Adolf Hitler (Moloch), Vladimir Lenin (Taurus) and Emperor Hirohito (The Sun, MIFF 06).

Winner of the Golden Lion at the 2011 Venice Film Festival.

“Life bubbles out of each frame in a grungy, foul-smelling rush.” - Hollywood Reporter

D Alexander Sokurov P Andrey Sigle WS Films Boutique L German w/English subtitles TD DCP/2011

See the film and read the book; browse online at Readings.