TELEVISION : Filmmakers Interpret Russia

Six renowned filmmakers--Peter Bogdanovich, Jean-Luc Godard, Werner Herzog, Nobuhiko Ohbayashi, Ken Russell and Lina Wertmuller--will each produce hourlong telefilms for a new six-hour TV special to be broadcast worldwide. Called “Momentous Events: Russia in the ‘90s,” the special presents each director’s personal vision of life in contemporary Russia. The project is produced by Cecco Films in association with Russian State Television and Radio Co., and filmmakers reportedly were given complete freedom on the project. Bogdanovich (“The Last Picture Show”) will focus on the women of Russia, Godard (“Breathless”) on Russia’s past, Herzog (“Aguirre: The Wrath of God”) on faith and superstition, Ohbayashi (“The Making of Dreams”) on children, Russell (“Altered States”) on the arts and Wertmuller (“Swept Away”) on the Russian soul. The six films are in production and expected to be completed in the next few months.