Kickstarter

What? Another film about Pushkin?

Wait a minute: Is there a film about Pushkin already? I don’t think so. This is something fresh for American audiences!

In Russia, they have a saying: “Pushkin is our everything.” Alexander Pushkin was a genius poet who died tragically young in 1837. His writing changed Russia, simply put. He is still one of the most important Russians in all of Russian history. And his legacy lives on, even into the wild and crazy post-Soviet 21st century.

But it's not just about Pushkin. It's a film about Russia, then and now. Why can almost any Russian quote his poetry by heart? What does that say about Russia, and what does that teach us about our own culture?

In the film, I take a journey across Russia to discover how important Pushkin is to Russians today.  Through the stories of the people I meet along the way, we get an inside view of life in contemporary Russia. And we learn the story of how Pushkin became EVERYTHING to Russians.

How’s progress on the film so far?

So far I have shot about 20% of the footage I need and edited a very early rough cut. Last year, I shot key interviews and scenes in St. Petersburg and Siberia, including these:

• At the St. Petersburg Theater Academy, I filmed over the course of a week as the students worked with their professor to stage a production based on Pushkin's tale "The Bronze Horseman."
  
• Also in St. Petersburg, I filmed a key interview with the director of Pushkin's house-museum. (She is the inspiration behind choosing this subject!)
  
• I traveled to the small Siberian town of Zakamensk, where I filmed my experiences with a Buryatian family and the local school's Pushkin pageant.  
• As a Fellow of the St. Petersburg-based Likhachev Foundation, I was given special access to film in many Pushkin-related locations, including his country estate at Mikhailovskoe and his house on the Moika Canal.
  

Where will the money from this fundraising campaign go?

Funds from this Kickstarter campaign will go directly toward the next shoot in Russia, in February. This shoot is key: we will shoot about 5 interviews in St. Petersburg and Moscow. And we'll get beautiful footage of snowy Russia!  I need money to support a small crew for 3-4 weeks.

In fact, the $5,000 goal for this campaign is quite modest. There's much more to be done beyond this next trip: editing, animation, composing music, and a follow-up shoot in late spring. Any additional money I raise will go toward these expenses.

Please help me raise even more than my stated goal!

How does this Kickstarter fundraising site work?

Kickstarter enables people of a like mind to contribute to the creation of an artistic project. This is not just about me raising money. It's about people supporting a project that contributes to the world at large.

Simply decide how much you want to give, and click the big green button to "BACK THIS PROJECT." There's a whole list of "rewards" for different amounts.

At the end of the campaign, if I reach my goal, then your card will be charged. If I don't reach my goal, then I don't get any of the pledges, and you don't get charged.

If I raise more than than the goal, even better. The more I raise, the sooner the film will get finished and the better it will be.

Interested in making a large tax-deductible donation?

If you are interested in making a donation of $4,000 or more, there is a possibility of a tax deduction. Please email me at michael@literaryrussia.com to inquire further.

Get involved!

Besides donating, LIKE the Facebook.com/pushkinfilm page and get updates on the film's progress.  Visit pushkinfilm.com for more in-depth updates about Russia and Pushkin and the film.  Connect with Pushkinfilm, and let’s have a conversation while the film is being made. Plus, your involvement and encouragement keeps the momentum going.

Questions?

Email me at michael@literaryrussia.com.

Большое спасибо! THANKS!

I appreciate every dollar, every email, every encouraging word. Thank you!