Favourite 5: Love Stories this Valentine’s Day

A wonderfully whimsical tale of amorous indecision and self-destruction from the undisputed master of animation Yuri Norstein.

This sprightly ten-minute animation details a “will they won’t they” romance between a dashing heron and a vaudeville crane. Ultimately in this tale, hope is not a thing with feathers, but pride certainly is.

Selkinchek (1993), Aktan Abdykalykov

This director’s debut is a tender testament to the transformative experience of first love.

A deeply personal work, Abdykalykov draws on his own childhood in a small Kyrgyz village to paint a resonant picture of passion. The word ‘selkinchek’ means ‘swing’ in Kyrgyz; Mirlan spends his days pushing Ainura, the object of his affections, on this childish symbol of joy. Then, the visit of a sailor and a shell shatters Mirlan’s dreams. For the first time, he endures the sweeping highs and lows of love. Shot in nostalgic black and white and rife with symbolism, this delicate classic deftly explores the rampant pain and unbridled passion of first love.

Getting to Know the Big Wide World (1978), Kira Muratova

This is Muratova’s favourite of her works, a love triangle set in the strange liminal world of a construction site.

In amongst the rubble and rebuilding, an intimate psychological portrait is painted against the shifting space. Lyuba is caught between Misha, a painfully shy amputee, and Kolya who is sometimes cruel and often melancholy. A beautiful vision of love, neurosis and competition that details the nuances and vagaries of romance. Executed with Muratova’s unique directorial voice, it is a must-see for cinephiles this Valentine’s Day!