PRIVATE LIFE

Last year when Russian filmmaker Yuli Raizman received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film for PRIVATE LIFE, he was, at age 80, the oldest active filmmaker to be so honored. The problems of contemporary life and exploration of the inner workings of his characters have always been Raizman's main concerns and his belief in art as an influence on society led him to focus on social issues. He has been writing and directing films since 1927, yet retains a vital outlook on the here and now: PRIVATE LIFE is a sensitive and modern depiction of daily Soviet life as it is and while criticism is subtle, the drawbacks of even privileged status are not glossed over. The protagonist is Sergei (Mikhail Ulyanov), a top executive who is forced to retire when his factory merges with another. Through the years his career has monopolized his every care, so that he is now unequipped to deal with the private life he has never really shared with his family. His wife has her own work, interests and friends, he has no close ties with his children or friends and soon is on the edge of suicide. But he learns new values and reaffirms life in ordinary pleasures and newfound relationships. When industry wants him back, new priorities are at stake.”An effective and well-acted drama. . .affecting and ruefully modern. . .engrossing and real. Its Oscar nomination is well deserved.” – Janet Maslin, New York Times