Giuliano Fratini

After the release of "Nostalgia", Andrei Tarkovsky runs out his Soviet authorities permission to work abroad: he has to go back home. But he understands from the messages of some friends and colleagues that his life in Russia would be even tougher than before. So he then decides to break with Soviet authorities and, a year before the Milan Conference of 1984 during which he will announce publicly his decision, he leaves his friends that are hosting him in Rome and takes refuge in a secret location.

During the filming of the documentary film “The Gift”, Giuliano Fratini meets the master Marlen Khutsiev, who agrees to speak about Tarkovsky. But before being asked any questions, as a sign of thanks to his Italian guests, he wants to talk about Italy and in particular about Fellini, about the friendship they forged at the Moscow Festival in 1963. Back then the Italian master asked to meet him, the little Georgian who had problems with the regime. This small film is a tribute to the Italian genius but also to the Georgian master.