State of Cinema 2019 / Claudio Pazienza

In 2018 Sabzian created a new yearly tradition: Sabzian invites a guest to write a State of Cinema and to choose an accompanying film. Once a year, the art of film is held against the light: a speech that challenges cinema, calls it to account, points the way or refuses to define it, puts it to the test and on the line, summons or embraces it, praises or curses it. A plea, a declaration, a manifest, a programme, a testimony, a letter, an apologia or maybe even an indictment. In any case, a call to think about what cinema means, could mean or should mean today.

For the second edition on 8 March 2019, Sabzian was honoured to welcome filmmaker Claudio Pazienza. He chose Dolgie provody [The Long Farewell] (1971) by Kira Muratova.