tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91694172025938440432012-01-30T03:27:00.466ZTovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.comBlogger261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-8520364171587857232008-08-20T09:40:00.003Z2008-08-20T09:42:43.863Z

I am pleased to announce that Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead is on today’s shortlist of 8 titles for the Grierson, Britain's top theatrical documentary prize, competing for the UK Film Council Best Cinema Documentary award against not only UK but international films, of which 3 are Oscar winner/nominees and one a Sundance award winner - but you never know...View the Grierson Trust website

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-15620610832583454652008-04-21T16:16:00.002Z2008-04-22T21:32:31.764Z

Some 55 years after the demise of Stalin, and 17 years after the fall of communism, it seems that the Gulag and the KGB are still hot potatoes.A major satellite TV group called Viasat Broadcastingwas about to buy this film for Pay TV in 33 countries, including all the former communist territories that comprised the Soviet Union, Eastern Bloc, and former Yugoslavia. At the very closing stage of 5

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-35860705386012594992008-04-14T16:18:00.000Z2008-04-21T16:18:54.311Z

At the time of writing, Tovarisch has participated at some twenty or so international film festivals, picking up half a dozen awards and several nominations, including the British Independent Film Awards.Below are a sample of 10 months of festival-hopping.

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-82366319781297394052008-02-24T21:36:00.008Z2008-04-24T23:49:49.048Z

Punto de Vista - credit to Luis DiasAlthough Pamplona is slightly better know for its running bulls than its cutting edge new documentary festival, I call upon everyone who loves animals to flock to the city for the film event and thereby save the lives of those frightened beasts who are sacrificed each summer (and the odd drunken tourist whom they gore now and then). Hopefully we can make the

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-61246590677802093162007-12-08T16:29:00.004Z2008-04-22T21:47:38.595Z

Stuart & Yehuda Efroni at Tel Aviv CinemathequeTo Jerusalem for the film’s premiere in Israel and my wife Dana’s 50th birthday party, with close family in attendance. A heady mixture in the Holy City! It turns out to be one of the best and rewarding weeks I can ever remember, including a couple of days off at the Dead Sea and a standing room only showing of the film at the Tel-Aviv Cinematheque

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-72705631032243543482007-11-29T16:26:00.006Z2008-04-22T21:49:00.707Z

At the British Independent Film AwardsMy how the event has grown. What used to be an upstart to the Baftas in the manner of the Independent Spirit Awards bearding the Oscars, the Bifas now constitute a very glitzy night out for celeb-spotters and freeloaders. The bash at the London Roundhouse was very well staged and even the food was good.As Daniel Craig’s citation for the Variety Award played

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-14241342485428810862007-11-14T16:21:00.003Z2008-04-22T21:49:27.268Z

Warsaw - November 2007Did you hear the one about the East European capital with scarcely any Jews, but two rival Jewish film festivals? That would be Warsaw.Both invited my film on an exclusive basis, offering travel, hospitality for me and a guest etc.By the time my wife and I arrive at the A festival, it has been all but crushed by budget cuts forced through litigation with the B Festival. The

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-71663442636451790002007-11-01T16:19:00.002Z2008-04-22T21:36:01.586Z

The UK Premiere of the film, on 1st October 2007, was a packed event at the Trocadero, presented, courtesy of Raindance, in High Definition format. Having been guilty of not paying attention to Britain’s largest indie event, I admire the low-budget ethos and enthusiasm with which it is run.James Mullighan, Creative Director of Shooting People, conducts the Q&A with me which you can see in

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-76242679776422414112007-06-14T13:46:00.000Z2007-06-14T15:34:32.287Z

I am very pleased to return from the 3rd Biografilm festival of Bologna, Italy, with the Lancia Award, awarded at the closing ceremony on June 10th. (story continues below image...)The Lancia Award is given to the director of the film which in, in the view of the festival, marks the most outstanding achievement in this festival dedicated to celebrating human lives.Although Biografilm is a newish

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-89035623614904962772007-03-27T23:21:00.000Z2007-03-27T23:22:06.634Z

A true and harrowing story, Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead is a valuable legacy of historical fact, available to all as both book and film. This site has been set up to provide information on this new independent documentary film based on the life of Garri S. Urban, an extraordinary man who experienced extreme hardships in the gulags of Stalin's Russia. He wrote in his own words from his own memories

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-18219548657978826962007-02-27T00:25:00.000Z2007-04-03T19:45:40.107Z

The proof of the pudding they say, is in the eating, and the critical response to the book since first publication has been very supportive. Here are just a few of the comments that Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead has received.The Film"Very powerful, very moving... an extremely strong piece of work" Geoffrey MacNab of The Guardian "Touching, funny, emotional, covering many important issues" John

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-54501488771452149852007-02-12T16:38:00.000Z2008-04-21T16:40:15.673Z

Although Pamplona is slightly better know for its running bulls than its cutting edge new documentary festival, I call upon everyone who loves animals to flock to the city for the film event and thereby save the lives of those frightened beasts who are sacrificed each summer (and the odd drunken tourist whom they gore now and then). Hopefully we can make the Pamplona film run the hot ticket

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-70945809735979353192006-12-01T23:19:00.000Z2007-04-01T17:55:12.414Z

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-87995795085180514062006-12-01T00:22:00.000Z2007-04-01T17:55:37.967Z

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-76124954744921435272006-11-28T00:23:00.000Z2007-04-01T17:56:03.299Z

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-74961925898199386492006-09-04T18:07:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:08:22.876Z

The director of Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead has agreed to answer any questions you may have for him.Stuart Urban is a BAFTA winning director and son of Garri Urban, the man to whose memory this site is dedicated. Stuart is in a unique position to be able to answer any questions that you may have on his father's life, his own experiences of growing up in a family affected by the events of World War

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-3624593723248310632006-09-04T18:06:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:07:34.845Z

We have just heard from Stuart Urban (the director of Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead) and the documentary is nearing completion - read on for a message direct from Stuart Urban!Stuart Urban writes:"We are coming towards the home straight on completing the documentary, Tovarisch I Am Not Dead, after only a mere 15 years or so in the making! Spread across that time and in several countries, I have been

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-90802944996739871822006-08-22T18:21:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:21:57.220Z

I thought I would add a quick post to help you out if you are new to the World of Weblogs.Its easiest to think of a weblog as a responsive Internet page - rather than logging onto the Internet and finding a static page of information a weblog is a living, breathing thing. Weblogs are written by real people who are interested and passionate about the subjects they write about, and weblogs are

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-19432819066682533322006-08-22T18:16:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:18:26.677Z

If you would like further information on the upcoming documentary Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead, please feel free to register with us by sending your email address to info@cyclopsvision.co.uk.Once we have your contact details we will be able to keep you informed with news from Cyclops Vision (the films production company), updates about the film and information on available screenings etc.You will

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-72154976663670975612006-08-22T18:14:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:16:20.648Z

The new edition of the book Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead is now on sale and can be purchased from Lulu.com and Amazon.A DVD of the documentary film will also be made available through the Cyclops Vision website in due course when it is complete and ready for distribution.If you would like to receive information on either product please send your email address to info@cyclopsvision.co.uk. One of the

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-45778847035944495492006-08-22T18:11:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:13:57.190Z

While talking to Cyclops Vision, the guys behind the documentary Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead, it became clear that they have carried out an incredible amount of research on the conditions that Garri Urban and so many others suffered in Stalin's Gulags.As well as drawing on Garri Urban's memoirs and the recordings made by his son Stuart during their exploration of Garri's past life, the

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-31675461963028842592006-08-21T18:31:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:33:20.153Z

Okay folks, you get to vote: I'm putting some links here to sources of information about documentary films. If you think they're useful, I'll put them on a Typelist and run them down the side of the page. If they're too vanilla, or you know them all already, they'll just sit here unwanted, unnoticed and unloved... waiting for someone to click on them.The first lot come from Wikipedia's article on

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-1094420450017144932006-08-05T22:16:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:54:34.760Z

Hi, it's Tom. As one of the blogteam working on this website, I should say that I am fascinated by Tovarisch, I'm Not Dead on three levels.First, the history of the time and place has awed me since I was a child. I remember reading/viewing Life's Picture History of World War II from cover to cover--and then starting again from page one. I was eight years old. From the Holocaust to the gulags, I

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-47224796976342340602006-08-05T18:43:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:44:01.122Z

Did we get it right? Makers of documentaries have to ask the question. Tovarisch, I'm Not Dead covers incidents that happened 60 years ago. Many of those who could serve as technical consultants on this film have passed on, and those still with us are advanced in age.But they may have talked to you. They might have given you a journal, diary or reconstruction written after the fact. You might

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-57676143674664156652006-07-25T18:44:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:50:22.895Z

The director of Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead is also the Managing Director of the company behind the film... and he is Garri Urban's son.Stuart Urban has worked in film all his life, having a film (The Virus Of War) screened at the Cannes Film Festival when he was just 13 years old. He continued to work in film and television, working on titles such as 'An Ungentlemanly Act' (a BAFTA winning BBC

Tovarisch - Web Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17320806780717307993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169417202593844043.post-86050996090604345052006-07-24T18:52:00.000Z2007-04-01T18:55:56.115Z

Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead is an independent film, produced by Cyclops Vision. Obviously, independent films don’t have big Hollywood budgets, nor do they have the vast studio marketing muscle behind them.... you won't be seeing wall to wall television adverts for Tovarisch anytime soon.....but these films, as well as being works of art, are an important part of our culture because they record the

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