Ontelly

Russian Ark

Logo for Russian Ark

A unique journey through time and Russian history. Filmed entirely in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, it recreates 300 years of history and culture and is the first entirely unedited, single take, full-length feature film. A contemporary Russian filmmaker magically finds himself in the State Hermitage Museum, where he meets a cynical French diplomat from the 19th century, the Marquis de Custine, and the two men become accomplices in a time-travelling journey through Russia's turbulent past. Together they encounter life at the Imperial Palace as it was through different ages, from Catherine the Great's backstage love affairs to the last Tsar's ball in 1913 in the Winter Palace.