About Tchaikovsky's wife

- Max, there is a ticket for Tchaikovsky's Wife. Gotta go
- Ok, Eric, no problem.

Yes, if you like the genre of biographical drama. Movies similar in spirit: "The Danish Girl", "Stephen Hawking's Universe".

• Background - a full-fledged hero. You barely hear dialogues or exclamations in each scene, you see the action of people insignificant for the plot. This makes the film voluminous. I want to rewind to hear the replicas.
• Destigmatization of naturalness and sexuality. Women's armpit hair, naked male bodies, consumptive masturbation on blood-stained pillows. Scenes do not create shocking. They are an integral part of history. Personal experience against their background takes on texture. It turns from an artificial, varnished feeling into a living, bright, close one.
• There is no emphasis on historical events. And this is good. The camera does not focus on the general plans of cities, does not focus on Russia. This story could have happened in any European country. Events do not rhyme in any way either with the Balkan War, or with the reforms of Alexander II, or with the reaction of Pobedonostsev. The focus is on the heroine: her suspense.
• You feel - you can’t redeem half of the references to films, books, art. After - understanding: I looked at something smart, from smart people and for smart people, but hidden meanings, concepts and ideas are escaping
• Luckily, there are obvious references and tricks.. The play of bright light and blue darkness in moments with and without Tchaikovsky. Frames of deep religiosity of the main character are replaced by a rite of conspiracy of the shirt. As if by chance, children at the station, with whom Antonina (Tchaikovsky's wife) plays. Clear images.

• At the very beginning, you feel the danger from Peter. He proposes to Antonina. She agrees with naivety and without life experience, does not notice the catch.
• The wedding scene is the only one on behalf of Tchaikovsky. The church narrows down to something claustrophobic, he wants to escape from there, especially after the ring on his finger
• The dance at the end is a physical expression of pain. You feel like you can’t change anything, locked in a cold and gloomy room, and you yourself are not you, but only a shadow of you.

On streaming. It was a one off show. I came across this movie thanks to Cinema club Yerevan. They hold different formats: from "Lie down, Mr. President" to evenings of short films and Zvyagintsev's films with the presence of the author.