Ashik Kerib

it is not only a beautiful adaptation. another film by a great director. or Paradjanov song of swan. it is a testimony about past. about the grace of fairy tales, about Azer traditions , about the time as a flight, about choices, humor, courage, love, as parts of a single event. a film who remains a gem for the science to remember the flavor of a lost, mythical period. a film who impress. and describe. suggest. and remains touching again and again. a film about a rhythm to live. forgotten, ignored, hidden. subtle. strange. fascinating. and a form to imagine the life. mystical. pure. useful. one of films who could be a meeting with yourself.

Directed by Sergei Parajanov is perhaps one of the most captivating cinematic experiences one can encounter. Although it lacks the length of a conventional feature film, it compensates with a profoundly rich and mesmerizing visual spectacle. Each frame is meticulously crafted, capturing the essence of an ancient world that feels very distant, presenting a time and place lost to the ages. Its visuals resemble exquisite paintings that evoke the vibrant cultural tapestry. The film's atmosphere draws the viewer into a mystical, dream-like journey, combining folklore and legend in a unique narrative. This is undoubtedly a film that deserves to be seen at least once in a lifetime-a cinematic poem that resonates deeply and lingers in the memory long after the credits roll.

This is an excellent movie as far as the artistic and aesthetic dimensions are concerned and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in experiencing the beauty of the Caucasus, or beauty as such. I do not think that there is any need to stress Parajanov's unique depiction of this beauty, after all he is acknowledged (deservedly) as one of the greatest directors of the 20th century. I am not quite sure, however, whether 'Western' audiences will be overwhelmed by Ashik Kerib (by the way 'Ashik' means 'lover', or more accurately, a person who is in love - Kerib corresponds to Turkish 'Garip'= the unfortunate). I showed it to some German friends of mine but they did not seem to be touched by it at all. 'Some' ethnological interest, if not knowledge (and passion) are indispensable. There is only one thing about Parajanov himself which I found irritating. In the documentary which is included in the Rusico edition, Parajanov himself claims to have pursued an ethnological approach in his films - as opposed to the Socialist Realism of his time which he despised so much. But how come that Parajanov says that KURDS are no Muslims when the majority of 90% of Kurds ARE (Sunnite) Muslims when he himself underlines the ethnological aspects of his movies?? How come we have a religious guy who is seen semi-nude (in Islam the exposure of a man's upper part of the body likewise constitutes sin). I did not expect a 100% accuracy watching this movie, and I still prefer it to The Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors and even to Sayat Nova despite its so many flaws (esp. the clothes and customs of the people, surely due to the 'tight budget'). The beautiful language spoken in the film is, of course, NOT Georgian - it's Azeri.

Ashug-Karibi (1988) was shown in the U.S. with the title Ashik-Kerib. The film was directed by Sergei Parajanov. (David Abashidze is listed as co-director.) The title literally means "The Strange Lover." The movie is called a Georgian or Russian movie, but it was produced in Azerbaijan. (Azerbaijan was under Soviet rule until 1991.)

The hero of the film is a talented but poor musician, who plays the traditional stringed instrument the saz (baglama), which looks and sounds like a small lute. The hero is in love with the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and she with him.

However, her father demands that she marry someone with wealth. It's agreed that the minstrel has 1001 days to make his fortune and return home to marry the young woman. That's the plot--the hero leaves his home and the rest of the film is a road movie that follows him in his travels.

This would be a fairly standard film device if Parajanov's style were like the style of other great directors. However, his style is unique. He shows us colorful paintings, dancing, and we hear Azerbaijani music. We see tableaux and he used intertitles. Color is at the center call the movie. "Colorful" doesn't capture the absolute riot of colors that we see.

This is a film that would work better on the large screen than on the small screen, but we watched it on DVD. It has a strong IMDb rating of 7.4. I thought it was better than that, and rated it 9.

P.S. Parajanov spent years in jail because of "crimes" he committed. His real offense was that he refused to make Soviet Realism films. These authoritarian officials deprived Parajanov of his liberty and deprived the world of his talent.

I was twenty years old when I saw this movie, and I remember being frozen in place. The movie was like a dream come true. As if I had been swept into another world. It was an unforgettable feeling, a mix of so many emotions all at once. I was experiencing something beyond the screen. Even now, years later, I can still feel the weight of that moment lingering in my memory.