De Uitkijk and Pegasus Bookstore & Publishing House present a new edition of their film club. This time, we will be screening Brief Encounters by Kira Muratova. The film will be introduced by Otto Boele, Slavist and Associate Professor of Russian Literature at Leiden University. Subtitles: English
In her remarkable debut film Brief Encounters, Kira Muratova weaves the story of two women who, unknowingly, are in love with the same man. Valentina, a city official with a seemingly successful life, and Nadya, a young woman from the countryside, are connected through their feelings for Maksim, a free-spirited geologist played by the legendary Vladimir Vysotsky. When Nadya begins working as a housekeeper for Valentina, a subtle drama of longing, absence, and introspection unfolds.
Muratova’s film stands out for its non-linear narrative structure, using flashbacks to reveal the characters' memories and emotions. The film explores themes such as the tension between personal freedom and social expectations, and the complexity of human relationships within 1960s Soviet society. The cinematography captures the melancholy and beauty of everyday life, while Oleg Karavaychuk’s music deepens the film’s emotional resonance.
Originally censored and only released two decades later, Brief Encounters is now recognized as a masterpiece that reflects both the sensitivities and the constraints of its time. The film marks the beginning of Muratova’s influential career, in which she continued to experiment with form and content, pushing the boundaries of Soviet cinema.
Earlier in the Pegasus x Uitkijk series:
The Mirror (1975) – Andrei Tarkovsky
Dear Comrades! (2020) – Andrei Konchalovsky
The Cranes Are Flying (1957) – Mikhail Kalatozov
Little Vera (1988) – Vasiliy Pichul
The Ascent (1977) – Larisa Shepitko
Frau (2023) – Lyubov Mulmenko
The First Teacher (1965) – Andrei Konchalovsky