The Coolidge Corner Theatre

Karen Shankhnazarov takes her audience back to 1920s Soviet Russia where Jazz is the spirit of the Capitalist West. Konstantin, a gifted musical student is expelled for his failure to recognize the evils of Jazz. He takes to the streets to find kindred souls who share his passion for expression and excitement through music. They are quickly thwarted and must endure the wrath of the cultural establishment. The original title translates more accurately to “We Are Jazz” a perfect mantra for these characters and their spirit.

(1983) dir. Karen Shakhnazarov, on DVD, 1h29m, in Russian with English subtitles

Preceding JAZZMAN is a short film made this year by Boston filmmaker/photographer Irina Roszovsky entitled WHO IS HE?
Vladimir Vysotsky died nearly 30 years ago in the USSR, where he was hailed as the underground voice of the people. His subversive, anti-Soviet songs were the unofficial anthems of the masses. While the government thwarted him and the media refused to air him, low quality bootlegged recordings of his illicit performances spread like wild fire and won him the adoration of millions.
Who Is He? examines the imprint made by Vysotsky’s legend on various generations of Russian immigrants in the US. It looks at how he is remembered and forgotten in the midst of a drastically different time and place, and questions the longevity of a cultural memory