A work in constant progress (and occasional regress).
Release Date:
January 1, 1998
Original Title:
Letters Not About Love
Genres:
Documentary
Production Companies:
Human Arts Association
Production Countries:
United States of America
Ratings / Certifications:
US: NR
Runtime: 59
Two contemporary poets, one from America (Lyn Hejinian), the other from Russia (Arkadii Dragomoshchenko) are asked to begin a correspondence based on a list of ordinary words such as 'home,' 'book,' 'poverty,' 'violence.' They reflect on each word, considering its conventional meaning and what it means to them personally. The resulting extraordinary five-year dialogue is by turns poignant, profound and funny. Both poets move seamlessly from present to past, a move echoed by the use of striking new and archival footage from both countries. Narrative, travelogue, and memoir are combined in a fusion of image, sound and word that is a total sensual experience. As the film progresses and intimacy grows, both the similarities and differences between Russian and American ways of grasping the world are revealed. Letters Not About Love becomes both a revealing portrait of two cultures and a compelling exploration of language, communication, and the art of mutual understanding.
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Additional Music:
Sergei Kuryokhin
Associate Producer:
Alexey Adashevsky
Marie Cieri
Director:
Jacki Ochs
Director of Photography:
James Livingston
Editor:
Jacki Ochs
Music:
Larry Ochs
Producer:
Jacki Ochs
Script:
Jacki Ochs
Sound Designer:
Margaret Crimmins
Paul Hsu
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