Ikonostasat

The Icon Stand reminded me a little of Andrei Rublev. Both are period films about an artisian of religious imagery during a troubling time. The Icon Stand is not as grand as Andrei Rublev, but it is also about half the length of the Tarkovsky film.

The Icon Stand follows a craftsman hired to make an icon stand for a small village church. The craftsman is not much of a believer and his dour quality and drinking of wine irritates the pious locals. When he falls for a local girl, more problems result.

I am unfamiliar with Bulgrarian/Greek/Turkish relations in the 19th Century, so some of the film's ending was lost on me. I also wish the film would have better set up the ending, which seems to come without much build up.

Nonetheless, the Icon Stand is an emotionally effective, downbeat film. It effectively carries the viewer away to the past, and some of the black and white photography is striking. The film may not be Andrei Rublev, but it is certainly well worth seeking out.