The Arvo Pärt Centre film nights at the end of August are taking place for the seventh time. This year three films in which Arvo Pärt’s music plays an important role will be screened.

On the opening night the Estonian public has the special opportunity to see the Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev’s film Loveless, which premiered in May this year at the Cannes Film Festival in the competitive programme, and which many film critics cited as the most brilliant film this year. Reviews in the international media have repeatedly mentioned the effective use of Pärt’s music. Zvyagintsev, one of the greatest directors of world cinema in the 21st century is coming to Tallinn to speak about film, music and specifically the influence of Arvo Pärt’s music on his work. In an interview in 2007, he spoke about this saying, “Like Arvo Pärt, reduction is very close to my heart, all this regularity and cyclical qualities. He seems to give meaning to today. I don’t know the theory […] I have heard something, but I don’t consider myself an expert. I just like this idea – the harmonic brevity of Arvo Pärt. All his work is based on this.”

Zvyagintsev also used Pärt’s music in 2007 in his feature film The Banishment, which is the second film to be screened at the film nights and which will also be introduced by the director.

This year’s film nights culminate with the Spanish director José Luis López-Linares’ latest documentary about Hieronymus Bosch, one of the greatest painters of all times. An in-depth film, “Bosch, the Garden of Dreams” presents the secretive life of the painter, his work and surrounding world. The film includes music from Pärt’s Fratres and Vater unser. The director of this film will also be visiting Tallinn and talking about the creative philosophy behind his work.

The Arvo Pärt Centre Film Nights are from 23 – 25 August at Sõprus cinema.

Kaarel Kuurmaa is the artistic director of the film nights.

The films will be screened with Estonian subtitles. Tickets are on sale at Piletilevi.