The Sensuality of Sergei Parajanov’s ‘The Colour of Pomegranates’
Words by Evie Rees
Still from ‘The Colour of Pomegranates’ (1969), directed by Sergei Parajanov
Sergei Parajanov’s 1969 film, The Colour of Pomegranates, is a sensual explosion of colour, sound, and movement. Celebrating the life and work of Arutin Sayadyan, an eighteenth-century Armenian poet known as Sayat-Nova, Parajanov’s experimental film is no usual biopic. Dripping with colour and folkloric imagery, Parajanov translates the poems of Sayat-Nova to the medium of surrealist cinema, careful to ensure the survival of the alluring mystery of his poetic voice. The film opens with the disclaimer:
“This film does not attempt to tell the life story of a poet. Rather, the filmmaker has tried to recreate the poet’s inner world through the trepidations of his soul, his passion and torments, widely utilising the symbolism and allegories specific to the tradition of Ashugh, the medieval Armenian troubadours.”
Consequently, Parajanov undertakes a cinematic presentation that doesn't simply present the linearity of Sayat-Nova’s life, but the poet’s soul. As a result, The Colour of Pomegranates is not simply a film about a poet, it is a poem in its own right. Each frame of Parajanov’s film is a work of art, and uses a wealth of colour and symbolism in its intimate exploration of sensuality and desire.
Still from ‘The Colour of Pomegranates’ (1969), directed by Sergei Parajanov
Within Armenian culture, pomegranates bear significance as a fruit symbolic of fertility and fortune. In Parajanov’s film, they also contribute to his exploration of desire. Throughout the film, pomegranates are shown in varying contexts and the saturated red of this secretive fruit is a recurring motif, illuminating most frames. Whether bleeding against white cloth or consumed by eager mouths, the fruit is a powerful visual example of the rich symbolism of Parajanov’s work. The pomegranate acts as a symbol of Sayat-Nova’s artistic spirit, with the fruit fervently consumed to portray a passionate lust for life; the sensuality of such an image attesting to an eagerness to consume beauty.
The pomegranate's vibrant colour is especially associated with the poet’s love, played by Sofiko Chiaureli, as exhibited in a scene where she appears dressed entirely in an arresting crimson with lace fabric teasingly held to her face. This glimpse of her eyes, partially obscured, emphasises Parajanov’s demonstration of bashful sensuality; a shyness at being caught looking. Parajanov’s film thus addresses the longing implicit in Sayat-Nova’s poetry, as demonstrated below by a stanza from his celebrated poem ‘Love Song’:
“Thy waist is like a cypress-tree, sugar thy tongue, in sooth;
Thy lip is candy, and thy skin like Frankish satin smooth.
Thy teeth are pearls and diamonds, the gates of dulcet tones;
Thine eyes are gold-enamelled cups adorned with precious stones;”
“Love Song,” Sayat-Nova.
The intentionality of Parajanov’s casting of Sofiko Chiaureli, thought to be Parajanov’s muse, also contributes to his exploration of desire. Indeed, Chiaureli claims a staggering number of roles in the film. Of her six characters, the most notable are her portrayal of both the young poet, the poet’s love, and the poet’s muse. Thus, Chiaureli is both the androgynous object of desire and simultaneously the one that desires. By subverting all sense of the individual, Parajanov demonstrates the breadth and power of passion: the young poet and the lover share one soul, just as they share one actress.
Still from ‘The Colour of Pomegranates’ (1969), directed by Sergei Parajanov
With little dialogue, Parajanov’s film allows song, poetry and bodies to primarily convey meaning. Bold colours and long, still shots demonstrate an intimacy of exploration, complementing the quiet sensuality of Parajanov’s work. Divided into chapters of Sayat-Nova’s life from childhood to death, the film secures its place as a triumphant depiction of the beauty of Armenian culture, while the lavishness afforded by the film’s leisurely pace invites the viewer to consider the wealth of symbolism afforded by each frame. In this way, The Colour of Pomegranates demonstrates the importance of cinema in exploring the subtle sensuality of life. Imbued with an artistic beauty, the film is a prodigious example of poetic filmmaking. Parajanov draws on Sayat-Nova’s recognition of the ageless ubiquity of desire to craft a film whose essence and aesthetics continue to influence cinema today. In doing so, Parajanov employs Sayat-Nova’s view of the enduring allure of desire,
“Love's fire is such, ’twill not consume--’twill burn, and burn, and ever burn:
If in that sea of flame I fall to cool me thou wilt never turn.”
“Thou Art So Sweet,” Sayat-Nova.
As the legacy of Sayat-Nova’s artistry continues, so too does the influence and value of Parajanov’s creation. A true feast for the senses, The Colour of Pomegranates remains a fascinating example of the possibilities of cinema.
