Reviews

(click on the source for the full review)

"A new documentary opening in Los Angeles today tells the story of one man's quest to save Russian Avant-Garde art from the Soviet regime." - KPCC MADELEINE BRAND SHOW

"Stranger than fiction several times over ... remarkable documentary." - LOS ANGELES TIMES by Kenneth Turan

"A gorgeous documentary" - THE NEW YORK TIMES

"Decadent Russian Art, Still Under the Boot’s Shadow." (Full article) - THE NEW YORK TIMES

"Fascinating Story … absorbing documentary captures the flavor of the region, but the most arresting sights are inevitably those of the bold, richly colored paintings themselves.” - VARIETY

"An extremely eloquent and captivating documentary film." - THE HUFFINGTON POST by Edward Goldman from KCRW ArtTalk

“A must-see film for anyone interested in art." - THE VILLAGE VOICE

"El 'Schindler' del arte ruso" - EL PAIS

"Film focuses on remote museum in Uzbekistan." (Full article) - LOS ANGELES TIMES

Critic's Pick - NEW YORK MAGAZINE

"The Desert of Forbidden Art is, itself, a work of art about the art world." - ABOUT.COM

"Filmmakers Amanda Pope and Tchavdar Georgiev discuss their latest film, The Desert of Forbidden Art" - WNYC THE LEONARD LOPATE SHOW

“Must See Documentary… a portrait of defiant vision blended with tremendous contemporary art.” - SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

“An amazing, inspirational film... Reveals one of the great secrets of modern art. A gem.” - THE VANCOUVER SUN

“… enlightening film” - CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

“Gorgeous to look at and horrible in its revelations, The Desert of Forbidden Art achieves what documentaries do best, uncovering and exploring a world that the viewer probably had no idea existed.” - THE GLOBE AND MAIL

“The Desert of Forbidden Art provides a dramatic examination of the power of art against forces of repressive tyranny. It is a fascinating work that will ennoble art lovers, students of Russian history, and anyone who believes in the power of culture." - FILM THREAT

"The Desert of Forbidden Art does an admirable job of telling the stories of the obsessive Savitsky and other important Soviet artists.” - SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

“What is most astounding about Savitsky's museum is that it was built in Karakalpakstan, a dusty autonomous republic in Uzbekistan, where most people still scratch out a living as cattle herders or farmers.” - THE WASHINGTON POST

“The Desert of Forbidden Art is no dry scholarly lecture, but a thrilling revelation.” - MORNING SENTINEL

“Documentary makers Amanda Pope and Tchavdar Georgiev turn over a large stone in 20th-century art history, beneath which lies a stunning collection of modern paintings that miraculously survived 70 years of Soviet censorship.” - CHICAGO READER

“The filmmakers ably present interviews with Savitsky’s associates, the painters’ children and grandchildren, art historians, a journalist whose reporting informs “Desert,’’ and even an ex-party boss who recalls how Savitsky worked the system to grab gove - THE BOSTON GLOBE

“Pope and Georgiev’s documentary creates awareness for a legacy still largely unknown and not fully appreciated.” - MOVING PICTURES MAGAZINE

"... an enthralling story - 'The Desert of Forbidden art' needs to be seen." - THE ART NEWSPAPER

"Highly Recommended ... Political science and history students can contemplate the fate of art and artists in an authoritarian system. Art history students, meanwhile, will be intrigued by this heretofore unknown expression of the Russian avant-garde." - EDUCATIONAL MEDIA REVIEWS ONLINE

" 'Desert' tells an extraordinary tale of anti-Stalinist subterfuge and one man’s quest to save a buried treasure of Russian modern art." - MACLEANS, CANADA

" 'Desert' is about politics, art and human spirits and intellects that would not be silenced." - KANSAS CITY STAR

“The film blends lively interviews with Kinzer and other protagonists with images of artworks that blend influences from the School of Paris, Russian Constructivism and the Islamic cultures of Uzbekistan.” - THE PLAIN DEALER

“Think Gauguin or Chagall's boundless shocks of color, colliding with the influence of Russian icon painting, the Soviet avant-garde, and the scenery of the desert lands many artists fled to in order to enjoy a last gasp of freedom after the revolution.” - AV CLUB

“The audience is left yearning for the story of every artist whose works are housed there – and this is much more than any documentary can ever provide.” - MORPH MAGAZINE, NEW ZEALAND

“This gripping film is a compelling testimonial to art and the human heart from which it derives.” - THE DAILY PAGE

“…eye-opening documentary.” - THE VANCOUVER OBSERVER

“What permeates every second of the 80-minute doc is not just a love of art, but an obsession with it.” - OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

“Pope and Georgiev’s partnership led them to this particular project, spanning the globe and all its complicated history, politics, religion and the post-communist aftermath reflection of a time and place that, given all its complexity, should have simply - FILMSLATE MAGAZINE

"...eye-popping discovery" - NEW CITY, CHICAGO

“The Desert of Forbidden Art is a fascinating film, unique in its use of art history to show life in the Soviet Union.” - CHARLESTON CITY PAPER

דוקאביב: האמנות מתגייסת למהפכה הקומוניסטית - HAARETZ ISRAEL

Jonathan Miller reviews "The Desert of Forbidden Art" - WBEZ CHICAGO

Here on Earth: Radio Without Borders - WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO

Radio Cafe - SANTA FE PUBLIC RADIO

The Arts on Sunday - RADIO NEW ZEALAND

В поисках запретного искусства - SBS RUSSIAN RADIO AUSTRALIA

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