Russian Ark

2002 Director Aleksander Sokurov

Sokurov broke boundaries with his dreamlike vision of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the Russian Ark. It's the first feature-length film shot in a single take using a state of the art Steadicam operated by a single cameraman. The full 90 minutes are one unedited take.

Russian Ark is shot from the first person point of view, exploring the museum and traveling through Russian history. The audience witnesses Peter the Great abusing one of his generals; Catherine the Great desperately searching for a bathroom; and, in the grand finale, the sumptuous Great Royal Ball of 1913. The viewer is accompanied by a sarcastic and eccentric 19th century French Marquis, who travels with him throughout the huge grounds, encountering various historical figures and viewing the legendary artworks on display.

The film was obviously shot in one day, but the cast and crew rehearsed for months to time their movements precisely with the flow of the camera while capturing the complex narrative, with elaborate costumes from different periods, and several trips out to the exterior of the museum. Tilman Büttner, the director of photography, was responsible for capturing it all in one single Steadicam shot.

As an exercise in well choreographed cinematography this is an unsurpassed endeavour.