English
The term “White Nights” does not only refer to the phenomenon that naturally occurs around the summer solstice when theLaplandand some northern European cities such asSt. Petersburgare bathed in light throughout the entire night. It is also the title of an early short novel by Dostoevsky, which like many of his works is marked by a certain idea of waiting.
In a famous lecture during the 80s at the Femis in Paris, not to mention the ghostly and extraordinary adaptation of Visconti on the history of the Russian author, Gilles Deleuze digresses admirably on this topic in relation to the reasons that would make a cineaste create an adaptation of great novel, which in his opinion relate directly to the fact that the film has direct ideas that correspond with some of those from the book in question. This produces at times some extraordinary meetings.
In his view, for example, that is a possible explanation for the interest of Kurosawa in Dostoevsky, since his novels have figures that are often characterized by a considerable state of mobility, restlessness and agitation. They often forget the purpose of their actions regardless of how important they may be, even if they are dealing with life and death. This makes it seem like the transcendental emergencies in which they seem to be perpetually trapped lose their consistency since there’s always another more urgent question which cannot be completely ignored. This detains them and yet they usually do not succeed. There is most certainly a deeper problem in existence but it is not yet known, and then it becomes very important to find out what this problem is. As in Kurosawa’s work, the characters find themselves in impossible situations that pale before the existence of some stupid problem, which becomes very important, urgent and decisive. It eats away at them and it becomes imperative to find out what it is.
Exceptionality, mobility, restlessness, agitation, and the suspension of time have also characterized the Festival of White Nights since its inception in 2002. The festival celebrates its third consecutive year the night of June 16 to 17 http://www.nuitblancheamsterdam.nl/ From seven in the evening to seven in the morning the population remains strangely active, mobile, restless, and agitated in a fascinating circuit along empty office buildings, some of the most amazing apartments inAmsterdam, as well as open spaces and areas, where expect desolation but instead find contemporary art in its true form with a pioneering and innovative spirit. This has always characterized the White Nights of the beautiful city of canals.
