Posted on 03 Sep, 2016 4:29 pm

 
“Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi: A Double Portrait in the Interior of the Age”- Russian documentary which captures correspondence between the two spiritual teachers of humanity 

 
Opening the lost chapters of history, the movie Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi: A Double Portrait in the Interior of the Age portrays the connection between the two spiritual teachers of the world. The movie is the creation of Anna Evtushenko and Galina Evtushenko, who have done extensive research for understanding the relation of these two great personalities in the last year of Leo Tolstoy. This film reflects the time when Mahatma Gandhi was living in South Africa and started corresponding through letters to Leo Tolstoy and how he got influenced by the spiritual teacher. The action in the film takes place all over the world-Yasnaya Polyana; London, Delhi, and Johannesburg; South Africa. 

Elaborating about the movie, Dr. Galina Evtushenko, Director, said that “The world doesn’t know a lot about the relation between Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi, and how their ideology has influenced the world. This movie will help us better understand the relation through correspondence in the last year of Tolstoy’s life. Even though Mahatma Gandhi had no direct contact with Leo Tolstoy, the correspondence led Mahatma to follow Leo as his teacher.” 

The two great spiritual teachers of the humanity, Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi have never met personally. But during the last year of Tolstoy’s life, there was a correspondence between them. It covered philosophical, religious and political issues. This correspondence has become the basis for this film, which is devoted to the crucial issues the humanity faced in the 20th and 21st centuries. The two great thinkers were achingly trying to find their own ways of non-resistance to evil by force. They brought their philosophies throughout all wars, revolutions, national liberation movements, against all cruelty, racism and in tolerance. 

“One year of correspondence between these two personalities influenced the whole world, and even today the teachings live in the hearts of the people. Mahatma Gandhi believed that he was a tree and the teachings of Leo Tolstoy were the fruits for the world to consume. Russia and India don’t have the common land or sea border. But the entire ways of life of both these teachers prove that this border in the spiritual sphere, and it doesn’t separate but brings to great nations together. ” added Ms. Anna Evtushenko, Director. 

Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi: A Double Portrait in the Interior of the Age will be screened tomorrow, 4th September at 2pm, at the BRICS Film Festival, Siri Fort Auditorium New Delhi. 
 

Courtesy – Press Information Bureau, Government of India