The Steamroller and the Violin
Read "The Steamroller and the Violin", by John A. Riley. Discuss three especially interesting or relevant ideas from the article, making connections to our class readings and discussions. Write a clear piece with topic sentences and supporting details and explanations. Pick out three key points, and focus on them. Write a 250 to 400 word blog response prompt per this BLOGGING RUBRIC.
Post by Sunday, 9/2 by 11:59pm.
After everyone has posted, read all of your classmates' blog entries, and "deepen and broaden the conversation" by replying to one or two entries in at least 200 words.
Due Tuesday, 9/4 by 11:59pm.
Here is a link to the the film.
Post by Sunday, 9/2 by 11:59pm.
After everyone has posted, read all of your classmates' blog entries, and "deepen and broaden the conversation" by replying to one or two entries in at least 200 words.
Due Tuesday, 9/4 by 11:59pm.
Here is a link to the the film.
In The Steamroller and the Violin, it is filmed in a big city: Moscow. Like a lot of films during this time, the setting has lots of grays and browns and just neutral colors, so that a few particular aspects will really stand out. In the case of The Steamroller and the Violin, the pops of color are the little boy, Sasha’s, red sweater and the red steamroller. This undoubtedly puts a great focus on these objects and objects similar, being bright colors in a world of dull colors, in other films. They seem to represent an almost alacrity in the films, rising above any antagonists or negativity in the film.
ReplyDeleteAnother notable aspect of the film that is mentioned in the article is the child protagonist who is targeted by other children his age, and sometimes even adults. This was a theme used commonly in that time and still today. In films with this theme, there is usually a driving force that helps the child with other tormenting children, like in The Red Balloon, the little boy has the balloon that taunts and tricks the other boys. In The Steamroller and the Violin, Sasha has Sergei to help him with the bullies.
Another theme that comes up in the movie, and is discussed in the article, is the subtle hint at World War II. This movie was made in a time when the war was still almost “fresh” in people’s minds. For a lot of directors during this time, there must of been a lot of war aspects incorporated into their films, because after all, these directors had grown up or fought in the war, and when writing your own movie, you’re often inspired my major events in your own life; this was World War II during this era of film. There is a point in the movie when Sasha is angry and he throws a loaf of bread on the ground, and Sergei calls him out on it, saying that he was wasting precious food. This moment almost undoubtedly refers to World War II when food was scarce and there was no wasting any food at all.
I like what you said about the red tones bringing a little bit more levity to the film. Especially because World War II /was/ so fresh in people's minds, the bright colors take your mind off of the dark gray and brown earth tones of Moscow and help us focus on the fairly happy storyline instead of the destruction and starvation that's happening. These colors also distance Sasha from the bullies. When they're playing around the red steamroller—that we connect to Sasha and Sergei—in their dark clothing, there is a sense that they don't belong in the world of playfulness that the story puts us in.
DeleteTarkovsky definitely was influenced by the war and destruction he has seen around him his whole life. From the scene where Sasha throws the leaf of bread on the ground, to the gluttonous wrecking ball scene that seems to revel in the smashing of an old building to make room for a new one. In fact, that wrecking ball scene almost feels obscene. After all, with not enough food to go around, what are they doing smashing buildings down (and laying new pavement.)
This movie does use color especially to make us feel as though we exist solely through the scope of these characters, and the colors make us feel what the characters are feeling.
I totally agree with you. The colour and the character use of Tarkovsky's movie is indeed similar to The Red Balloon. In The Red Balloon, when the little character is walking with the red balloon, the street and the sky are all kind of grey, and even the wall of the buildings are almost black and white. Just like The Red Balloon, when Sasha carries his violin from his room, the building are in a dark shade and even the older kids do not have much colour on them. So that is a very unique style to add complexity of a movie, and through this kind of way, we can have more interests on the movie.
DeleteAlso, your point that Tarkovsky’s movie is influenced by world war II is really interesting because I did not think about it when I was watching the movie. But what you said are very reasonable because wars truly had big effects on the directors at that time, and especially when the food was very precious to people during the war, so when Sasha threw away that bread, the man was offended by it. So what you said gives me a new perspective of the movie which I did not notice before.
I really liked your comparison between the roles of Sergei and the Red Balloon and how they each helped the young protagonist deal with bullies. What I find interesting is the differences between each one. The Red Balloon acts more like a friend and an equal of the boy in that film. Instead of counseling the boy it picks him out of a city he blends into and not only notices him. However, the Red Balloon was actually what got the boy noticed by the bullies in the first place (I believe). The Red Balloon's role wasn't to help him deal with bullies, but rather just to be his friend. Sasha was already a subject of the bullies' torments. So the role of the Red Balloon's equivalent, Sergei, was changed. Sergei took on the role of a father figure rather than a friend and taught Sasha how to deal with bullies and behave in the world post-World War II. I agreed with the article that, in the basic premise, the Steamroller and the Violin was a little derivative of The Red Balloon. However, it is the differences between the two films and the roles of the corresponding characters that make The Steamroller and the Violin Tarkovsky's own.
DeleteThe article is as much a discussion of auteurism as it is one of the influences on Tarkovsky's work. The idea of creating a diploma film really is just an opportunity for a budding director to be able to display and establish some of the traits that will go on to define their particular brand of auteurism. The article determines that (a small) part of Tarkovsky's auteurism was his ambition and stubbornness that allowed him to push his films and the social commentary within them as well as a prevailing theme of eschatology. While ambition and stubbornness were parts of Tarkovsky's imagination, since the article says they bled into his films then they must be considered a part of his auteurism.
ReplyDeleteThe reading this weekend is an extended metaphor about film-making as writing. The article about The Steamroller and the Violin discusses some of the influences on Tarkovsky's film. It even says that his film is derivative of The Red Balloon. In both writing and film-making creating a work that is too derivative of another is frowned on. However, when one thinks about writing and film-making as a process similar to how Georg Hegel saw history then a piece of work looks less derivative and more as something that built on the past. In turn that causes its differences to become all the more significant. One should see Koktebel and The Return the same way when comparing it to The Steamroller and the Violin.
I was interested to hear about how Tarkovsky's commentary on his own work changed the way people viewed it. I thought that the effect a director could have on their own work might end after the film as been released. I am a little surprised that the opinion of the one who created a piece of art wouldn't be viewed as overly subjective.
I found it interesting when you mentioned Tarkovsky's stubbornness. I agree with your analysis. I too think that this was an important part of making his films relevant. It was that aptitude that made him successful and his films influential. I never thought about that being a part of his auteurism. However, I think that because of the uniqueness of his social commentary it must be a part. You mentioned how derivatives in movies and literature are frowned upon. Although this maybe is true, it seems like it is a popular theme. It seems like every movie is being re-made recently. Those who are old enough know that the originals are always better, however, those that only see the remake enjoy it all the same and don’t know any different. Why are remakes so popular if they are frowned upon?
DeleteIn class I watched the Steamroller and the Violin for the first time. While watching this movie I had only a small amount of background. I had heard of Tarkovsky, and I knew that this movie was taking place in the Soviet Union. While I was watching I was surprised with the freedom that the movie had. The boy, Sasha, was free to run around and make friends with an adult he didn’t know. Further, Sasha’s family seemed to be wealthier than most. This is shown through the other characters captivation in the violin. The film showed this by using a close up shot on the shiny instrument while playing elegant non diegetic music. The movie could almost take place in the US. This was surprising to me knowing how dissimilar the countries were supposed to be at this time. One thing I picked up was the similarity to another movie we watched, “The Red Balloon.” The article mentioned the influence of this movie for Tarkovsky. Immediately I picked up that both films had a young boy as a main character. Also both films relied less on dialogue then movies today. They both used non diegetic background music, diegetic sounds, and camera work to show how the characters feel. I found the part of the article on the Italian realism movement interesting. I had never heard of that before. When thinking about the movie now I realize that the movie makes me feel exactly how a film following that movement would. I was slightly uncomfortable with the boy running around on his own and befriending a adult steamroller. This movie captures that perfectly. Overall, I found this all very interesting because I have never thought of any of this before.
ReplyDeleteThis definitely stood out to me too. In American culture, kids that young would never be allowed to wander free through a big city like that, but Sasha did show a kind of maturity that I don’t think many kids here or in today’s society have. It also stood out to me that he became so attached to Sergei, although children to have a tendancy to trust people easily, and when someone protects them, to start to almost fully rely on these people. Becoming friends with an adult is also something you’d never see nowadays. Maybe it’s just the whole innocence feel of the movie, or maybe it’s because people were more trusting back then, and didn’t think any adult would kidnap their child. As you said, the relationship between Sasha and Sergei made me uncomfortable as well, and I found myself thinking more about how strange and unsettling these two together was, than actually enjoying the movie.
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ReplyDeleteTarkovsky began his career with a great degree of ambition. It was not his intent to produce a simple piece but rather the opposite. He was influenced by Italian neo-realism. He sought to make a film double the length of a typical Soviet diploma film at the time was. Although The Steamroller and the Violin has a basic story, the way the story is told certainly is not. Upon its release, Soviet authorities claimed that the nature of the film was “unrealistic.” Tarkovsky wanted to create an environment that told a realistic and meaningful story, but in a unique and surreal style. He established himself as an auteur of cinema, a visionary who developed his ambitions and ideologies to make a film that embodied a fresh abstract style.
ReplyDeleteThe Steamroller and the Violin is a story of human connection. The boy and the man, both of the working class, within the metropolitan setting of Moscow, wish to share each others qualities within a society of “innocent public discourse.” With the protagonist being a lost and troubled youth, he was in the perfect place to befriend a father figure, who, just like the boy, sought some sort of escape for his own reasons. That is the innocence of their relationship.
Adding to his auteurism, Tarkovsky’s own childhood was unrolling as World War II was. I think that a director relating to the protagonist is extremely effective in the sense of presenting and developing a story. His childhood experience was always in the back of his mind, I am sure, while he was making The Steamroller and the Violin. For Tarkovsky to make a film that he directly develops about a subject that personally is connected to him, makes his vision more genuine to the auteurism of his own work.
I found it very interesting how you relate Tarkovsky’s childhood to his filmmaking. I had never thought about how his experiences coincide with what he put on the screen in that way. The way that Tarkovsky decide to make the film his is really beautiful, and interesting. I never thought of the basic story of the film , i was only think about how Tarkovsky decide to and elements to make it magical almost. I am now thinking about the story at its smallest point, and it is truly amazing how one person with a vision can change it into this amazing thing.
DeleteI believe that what made this Film interesting and intriguing is Tarkovsky’s artistry. Part of what lead to his artistry is his drive to film something more than just a diploma film. I feel the fact that the story was considered not realistic was something that showed the artistry of Tarkovsky. Tarkovsky took what seemed to be a fairy tale to some and showed a realistic relationship of a child looking up at a strong father figure. The fact that the boy and the man relate and become friends really shows the simple innocence of the relationship. This is because the man decided he could help mentor Sasha to help Sasha go through the same things he did as a child. He mentors Sasha and teaches him how to grow up by presenting a positive role model in Sasha’s life. I did that think about that Tarkovsky could have been projecting his childhood during the war into Sasha’s character as well as the entire film. This could have been loosely based around experiences Tarkovsky had when he was a boy. Tarkovsky definitely seemed to have a great amount of auteurism in this film because he seems based of experiences that may have happened around him.
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ReplyDeleteThe Steamroller and the Violin is an incredibly beautiful short film about a boy who befriends a steamroller mechanic. The way they portray the relationship between the boy and the mechanic is very interesting, because to me, as a viewer, it almost feels like the mechanic is a father figure to the boy. In several cases throughout the film we see the mechanic giving the boy life lessons as a father would to his son. An example of that is when Sasha, the boy violinist, throws a loaf of bread on the ground. Sergei, the steamroller mechanic, has to help him learn to appreciate what he has.
The way that the director, Andrei Tarkovsky, represents the unlikely friendship though colors, sound, and set are extremely well done. I found it very interesting that he was only a student while directing this short film. The way that the scene was grey and the viewers did not truly see color until the friendship developed throughout the film. With how Tarkovsky chose to use sound to show the boys emotions, and switch between dramatic scene, and calmer ones was very interesting.
One part I found interesting was when the other childer, the bullies of the film, were breaking into his case, but the beauty if the violin stopped them. Even though they made fun of Sasha for playing and taking lesson even they were amazed by the beauty of it. The way that scene was chosen with the lighting, color, and shot of the camera showed the human side of the bullies which is not shown often.
Overall I really enjoyed this movie and the way the characters were portrayed, and even though the film was not always in english I understood what was happening and even enjoyed it.
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ReplyDeleteThe article focuses (in its discussion about the film itself, rather than Tarkovsky), heavily on the diegesis of the film. The diegesis is created through the lens of Sasha, and follows his adventures through Moscow. Moscow, many facets of which are represented honestly in the movie, is Sasha’s playground for much of the film. The streets are made for wandering, and the steamroller work area functions as a sort of sandbox, where a child can play with their oversized toys. Even the destruction of a building is public entertainment, with people viewing it as if it were an art installation. This creates in the viewer a sense of appreciation of the world around them, evidenced by the violin’s eventual captivation of the bullies. Sasha, as a child, looks and seems so privileged to wander the streets as he does, and so the viewer, being older than Sasha, appreciates their free will as well.
ReplyDeleteWithin its commentary on Tarkovsky, the article focuses on his auteurism. His ambition to create work of true artistic value, rather than creating work simply to support a career, shines through. The article claims that a purpose of the diploma film was to, after graduating, find work. Creating a film which the Soviet film authorities would take umbrage with seems out of line for merely a student, and would not appear to be a recommended way to find work in the state-controlled industry. However, Tarkovsky was clearly able to continue his work in full force after his diploma film.
This weekend’s reading educated me on the origins and specifics of Soviet montage. The idea of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis are present in the entirety of The Steamroller and the Violin. In particular, one example popped out to me: The thesis is the freedom of Sasha’s roam around Moscow, the antithesis is his mother and violin teacher exercising strict authority over him, and the synthesis created by the relationship between Sasha and Sergei: Sasha retains his freedom, but this newfound father figure is also able to guide him through his adventures.
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DeleteI agree with you here, Tarkovsky had the ambition to create work of true artistic value. I think his deemed arrogance after the production of this film was clearly a desire to remain faithful to his work. Despite how out of line he was, Tarkovsky was ambitious enough to remain true to himself, aside from an industry that didn't allow much room for artistic boldness of course- his bold move was overall successful. Since he was clearly not going to sacrifice the integrity of his work. I also agree with you on the idea of thesis vs antithesis, Sasha is attempting to break away from this form of strict authority, without freedom of passion or a choice- I think this newfound father figure whom we know as Sergei challenges all that had been forced upon Sasha in his childhood. That being said, Tarkovsky challenges all that we know about this world in which we live. How much of a choice do we have? How many people can we force to be like us? Force to be the same? I saw these recurring themes in both The Steamroller and the Violin, and the Red Balloon. Children trying to break away from the authority, trying to break away from the metaphorical machine that eats people, and spits them back out once they're all used up, and no longer anything at all- just what society wants us to be. Sasha retains his freedom, but with subtle guidance from Sergei. I love everything about this.
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ReplyDeleteTarkovsky’s ambition for his final project at soviet state film school was evident. Tarkovsky created a film double the length of most final projects. The ambition of Tarkovsky is shown in the vast amounts of differing shots. In the wrecking ball scene there was many cuts to differing shots to create tension. Many times shots of mirrors and reflections took place during dialogue. Tarkovsky took a simple concept of a young boy befriending a man and inserted childhood lessons along with intriguing scenes that make one think more. Tarkovsky has parts in the film that have separate meanings with background information. Sasha throwing the bread on the ground as a sign of frustration does not seem very meaningful at first glance. The man tells Sasha to pick up the bread. He proceeds to asks him if he gets his bread free. Now knowing that this was just after WWII when 1/8th of black bread was keeping people from death. This explains the reasons why Sasha picking up his bread was so important. Tarkovsky’s choices of what to insert into the film seem more meaningful when you think how much work had to go into each specific shot. Tarkovsky’s sense of auteurism really makes you think of why he put some shots into the movie. Why was there a cat in the music teachers lobby? Why did Tarkovsky seem to make the apple being eaten a huge deal? Was it because of the war lack of food during the war? Was it showing growth because later in the film Sasha picked up the bread? Every specific shot seems to have put into the film for a purpose.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting what you said about how this is a somewhat simple story that is made more complex by shooting it in a complex way. Tarkovsky does seem to apply a great deal of significance to things that, at first glance, don't seem to have that much importance in the context of the story. The things may not have any significance at all, and the film may just apply significance to objects and locations in the film so that Tarkovsky can show off what he can do with his talent as a director. However the article also states that there is very likely a personal touch to “The Steamroller and the Violin,” so perhaps some of these things may be significant to Tarkovsky and Tarkovsky alone. Maybe there is context to things like the cat and the apple but it is context personal to the director and we as an audience are left unaware of the personal significance of the film. You can take something deeply personal that someone who doesn't know you wouldn't exactly understand and translate it into something meant to be taken in by the average person and I believe it will still be understandable as a personal piece of art. I think that to truly understand a work of art one needs to try and understand the artist just as much as the art itself.
DeleteTarkovsky, from the moment he planned the film, was not planning on having it be a simple final project. From the get-go, he had motive far beyond graduating film school. He thought big enough to create a film twice the length of most—if not all—diploma films, and sought to hire an incredibly well known cinematographer. He pulled in subtle hints of greater ideas, such as World War II, food shortages, and "wholesale destruction." His style was also derivative to a degree. During that era, there were many films (such as "The Red Balloon") that featured young children as main characters. He uses the idea of a small child in a big city to create a male role model to show him the ropes and protect him when his own family doesn't seem to care.
ReplyDeleteColor also plays a huge role in this film, just as it did in "The Red Balloon." Both films feature cloudy cities with bright pops of color to draw our attention. In "The Red Balloon," this color was brought in by the balloon, immediately establishing it as a character rather than an object, and in "The Steamroller and the Violin, there were bright red tones coming from clothing, parked cars, etc. (Note that the government had a strong hand in films at the time and I believe the red may be subtle subliminal propaganda, but maybe that's just me.) The colors draw our eyes to important aspects of the films, and separate them from the monotony of the life outside of the film.
Tarkovsky subtly pulls broader topics into his film, but not to a distracting extent. The horror to which Sergei reacts to the bread loaf being thrown onto the ground is a testament to just how desperate people were at the time, and just how short food was. That combined with the wrecking wall scene and the planes flying overhead told us that we were smack dab in World War II. Yet, construction is happening, and shop windows are full, showing us the slightly more ignorant world of a child.
I like what you said about the bread. One of the most meaning meaningful scenes is when Sasha throws the bread down. Sergei still has the war on his mind. I do think that this movie takes place after the war. However, I agree that food was not so easy. Sasha does not understand this.
DeleteI think that the impressionism of this piece is critical to understand in its viewing. You say that the construction and the full shop windows in which Sasha peers show a more ignorant perspective. I think this is a good point. The cinematography of the entire film supports the impression of an adventurous child’s world. Adults seem large, imposing and impressive. The camera is often around Sasha’s eye level, looking up at adults with low-angle shots. In the violin practice scene, the chairs in which the children sit even seem exaggerated in size. The spacious alleyways, softly curving streets, winding staircases, and bright construction crews are the dreamworld of an adolescent, almost reminiscent of the architecture of Alice in Wonderland, another impression of a child’s perspective.
DeleteYou also point out the importance of colors in The Steamroller and the Violin. Warm and primary colors are often associated with childhood, and the film represents that well. Although the city is made of of many muted, smoky, gray tones, wherever Sasha goes seems to grow color: The backgrounds, the distant skylines, are gray, yet the streets he wanders are lines with red pots with yellow flowers, and green grass going through the pavement.
The niche of color is a very significant in both "The Red Balloon" and "The Steamroller and the Violin" indeed. In the case of "The Red Balloon," the balloon has a stark contrast to the dark and gloomy environment. As a result, this makes the balloon to seem more relevant, and even a character, which it is because it is an object that causes problems and offers company to the young boy. I really like your observation about the color red and how it was used in films back in the mid fifties/early sixties and how red may be some sort of propaganda. I believe this very well could be the case. Since red is such a bright warm color, it catches the attention of the audience for whichever reason even if it has propaganda undertones in addition to a role in the visual storytelling.
ReplyDeleteYour observation about Sergei's reaction to the bread being thrown on the ground and how his reaction speaks for itself is significant because it sets a universal mood of the people during this time of war. Yet, civilian life lingers on with all of the open shops and all of the construction, etc. This establishes a significant element of circumstance and how such circumstances directly effect how characters function and see things.
Tarkovsky’s short film was groundbreaking for his time. The dynamic aspects of this film are merely the components of a masterpiece, the work of a man who had intention, and perhaps a lack of modesty.
ReplyDeleteWhether it was his underlying objective to make a statement with his work, or merely the side-effect of self-importance, Tarkovsky was evidently successful with this short film despite the hesitance of the Soviet cinema authorities. For instance, Sasha’s relationship with Sergei is paternal, a distinct indication that a fatherly figure had been missing from his life. Tarkovsky’s “cinematic vision” seeps into each scene, colors are mundane and rather stale, but the music compensates accordingly. Attention is brought to Sasha’s violin in the opening scene, music is moving! Sound is such an essential part of this film, without it, scenes would fade into the dull surroundings of this world.
Another part of this film which I appreciated was how much attention was brought to beauty. Beauty of the violin, of apples, milk, the theatre- beauty in the world which can take anyone away from “current” events such as the war. Sensitivity, even for a bully- when Sergei would not confront Sasha’s bully for him- as a result of the unwritten rule, “one-on-one.” Figuratively speaking, a war is in the hands of the oppressors. A hint of a free-willed, fleeting love for life was really sensational to me. Tarkovsky brought attention to the young, lives that will eventually grow into the future, and the importance of allowing them to discover their own sense of place. He made the film his own, auteurism needless to say. This film is associated with his career, and he was unafraid to be so bold with his work.
I was interested by the scene in which Sasha played his music for Sergei. In the article it was clear that interpretation was a crucial part of understanding. It made me wonder what moved Sasha to play music, I am curious to know what Sergei understood about passion and adoration for life. I wonder if Sasha played the same song repeatedly for different people, I wonder what they would take away- would they love this fleeting moment, or come to the realization that forever is now? Was Tarkovsky nervous about what other people would think of his film, or was he so unapologetically himself?
Overall, Tarkovsky produced a great film. There are still more questions I have, but perhaps a question in theory is only a matter of interpretation. Perhaps I am even asking you a question right now.
I found it was interesting that how Tarkovsky's The Steamroller and The Violin was influenced by Albert Lamorisse’s The Red Balloon and how many things that they have in common. First of all, the main characters are both little kids who know nothing about the world; are bullied by other older kids; and have struggles with their parents/adults. And both the directors of the films use the kids' perspectives to show what was the world like from their point of view at that time. secondly, the colours of the films are very unique, and they contrast each other a lot. In The Red Balloon, the colour of the red balloon really stands out from the grey, black and white background so that it draws our attention very easily. In The Steamroller and the violin, the kid and the violin always have a warm and bright colour which also contrasts the muddy and grey background. From these kinds of movie styles, the audiences could know what is the main point to pay attention to, and also it adds complexity to the movies so the films would be more intriguing to the audiences. Thirdly, both of these films all have a key subject to focus about. Like the red balloon in The Red Balloon, and the violin in The Steamroller and The Violin. In the movies, both the characters have a special relationship with these subjects and are interested in them. So maybe the directors are intentionally using them to symbolize dream and freedom since it is what was lacked at that time.
ReplyDelete"The Steamroller and the Violin" is a short film that explores many themes surrounding the relationship between father and son. Sasha's father is absent in the film and considering how young he is it's clear that this lack of a father figure has had some effect on him. As such he looks for a father figure in that of a steamroller operator, named Sergei. While it is clear the Sasha sees Sergei as a father figure, the film heavily suggests that Sergei sees Sasha as a son in a way. There is nothing in the film to suggest that Sergei has any children and he seems to be rather lonely throughout most of the film. Sasha is very much the same, with all of his peers going out of their way to torment him. So the steamroller and the violin find comfort in each other.
ReplyDeleteI found it very interesting to learn how Russians handled film as an art form, with different divisions that directors would be assigned to based on their skills. It is important to look at “The Steamroller and the Violin” as a film that Tarkovsky created to show off his film making skills and style. This makes some of the stranger scenes make more sense to me as it could have just been put in the film for the sole purpose of Tarkovsky showing off what he can do.
Tarkovsky clearly made this short film very personal and, as the article says, this brings “The Steamroller and the Violin” out of a simple movie deriving from the filmmaking tropes of the time into something much more personal. This contributes heavily to the idea that the director is the sole author of their film. From this short film we may be able to learn something about Andrei Tarkovsky. About his childhood and about how he saw the world while he was growing up, or maybe Tarkovsky is represented by Sergei and his interactions with Sasha may represent Tarkovsky looking back at his younger self.