Iubirea agape la Andrei Tarkovski (I)
Agape in the Work of Andrei Tarkovsky (I)

Summary/Abstract: The current text refers to some general aspects of Agape or Christian love. Tarkovsky was concerned about fi nding less love for the neighbor in nowadays world. Serving one’s neighbor is one of the main ways of showing Agape; it is a kind of serving that occurs in terms of absolute free will, while collaboration with God is a must. Free will is a diffi cult topic. While authors often fi nd their freedom restricted in the world, they ought to hold on to their inner freedom at all times. One of the most real and strong manifestations of Agape in terms of serving one’s neighbor is self abnegation by means of offering or sacrifi ce. Recent times have proven a dramatic cut in people’s ability to sacrifi ce, as opposed to developing fi erce individualism. The topic of sacrifi ce can be found throughout the entire cinematographic work of Andrei Tarkovsky, only to culminate in his fi nal movie, explicitly dedicated to this specifi c topic as the title suggests. The ultimate goal of the sacrifi ce, as well as of any Christian work, is redemption. Tarkovsky’s characters are ready to serve. In essence, most of the main characters turn sacrifi ce into their mission in life. Some have even detected a martyrial component to these characters. The weak (people seen as weak by the society) are often more capable of sacrifi ce as compared to the powerful. In fact, Tarkovsky himself was a man to whom sacrifi ce was one of the main issues in life and in work. The director used to see himself as a servant of those who approached his work and a servant of God. In art, the serving must lead the devotee to contemplation; more often than not, this step is to be achieved through beauty.

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