The Birth of Stalker: An Attempt at Reconstruction

The feature film Stalker by Andrei Tarkovsky based on the story Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky brothers is a key monument of late Soviet culture that has received worldwide recognition. It has repeatedly become the subject of film studies, inspired artists and directors, and many who were with Tarkovsky at different stages of the difficult path from the project’s conception to its implementation have written about the work on the film. Director, actor and writer Yevgeny Tsymbal worked on the set of the film for more than two years, first as a props assistant and then as a second director. In his book, he seeks to reconstruct the chronicle of the film’s creation, backing it up with documents and personal testimonies. The reader will learn how the original idea was transformed during the work on the script, become more closely acquainted with the cultural and political context, and see a direct connection between the biographical circumstances of Tarkovsky’s life and his artistic decisions. Personal memories in the book are edited with fragments of interviews that the author took from members of the film crew.