Tonino Guerra emerges as a renowned Italian poet, artist, writer and screenwriter whose versatile imagination shaped cinema, literature and visual arts. His scripts guided the films of Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini, Andrei Tarkovsky, Vittorio De Sica and the Taviani brothers. Guerra was not confined to one discipline; he scripted fairy tales and poetry, designed fountains and poetic palaces, crafted birdhouses, and engaged in ceramics and sculpture, even leading the Marecchia River project. His ties to Suzdal were deep, thanks in part to his wife Laura Guerra who was deeply connected to the city as a source of cultural exchange. It was in Suzdal that he remarked how Russian sadness could be cut with a knife. Today the Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery hosts an exhibition honoring his life and works.
Laura Guerra, the author’s wife, has observed that she is glad the Tonino Festival is held in Suzdal. She noted that Guerra, more than anyone, created spaces where visitors could slow down, contemplate and reconnect with themselves. In Pennabilli, a small town, Guerra discovered numerous “fantastic places” that drew people in. He referred to them as “places for the soul” – luoghi dell’anima.
Ekaterina Pronicheva, Director General of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve, described the festival as a collaboration among varied individuals and organizations. It acts as a tribute to the great Tonino Guerra and as a sustained effort to nurture the creative process born from the synthesis of the arts, revealing culture in its full range. She envisions the festival as an annual event, with Guerra’s figure standing as a symbolic anchor: he explored Suzdal, understood its essence, and cherished the city as a home for creative minds. Guests are invited to experience Suzdal through Guerra’s perspective, listening to silence and noticing the meadows, the bends of the Kamenka River, the wooden houses, and the harmony found in simple things. The concept of “places for the soul” becomes the city’s most poetic facet, and the festival program emphasizes experiences beyond typical concerts and performances.
The festival will showcase screenings of films drawn from Guerra’s screenplays and will host two exhibitions dedicated to his legacy. Curator Nina Gomiashvili presents an installation titled “The Air is Full of Lost Voices,” taking place in the Kremlin, the Posad House and the Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery. Guerra’s personal belongings, including flags with his poems translated by Bella Akhmadulina, will be displayed in the museum’s permanent collection. Gomiashvili notes that participation in the Tonino Guerra festival is a personal journey: years ago, she visited Laura and Tonino during a trip to Italy for Gourmaniada, where Guerra spoke about Italian winemaking and Sangiovese wine, celebrating regional cuisine and childhood memories. The Kremlin, Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery and the Posad House will host exhibitions, installations and an audio performance exploring childhood, fireflies, the scent of baked apples, dried leaves, and almond blossoms, according to Gomiashvili.
The 1+1=1 project by Nastya Grigoryan and Anya Petrova at Mira Center and other venues will fuse Russian avant-garde with modern art objects and the memories of friends such as Natalia Dabizha, Nina Popova, Valery Sirovsky, Yuri Rost, and the spirit of Tonino Guerra. Petrova, the exhibition’s curator, highlights Guerra as a magnet for this project — a man who survived World War II at a young age, an observant and paradox-prone creator. His traits — aphorisms, simple drawings, a touch of whimsy and nonsense — reflect a uniquely Russian contemporary risk and resilience.
A grand cabinet will appear in the Earth Center’s courtyard; when opened, visitors are drawn into a 24-minute poetic world inspired by Guerra’s work. The immersive audio experience, featuring music, soundscapes, thoughts, poems and emotions, was crafted by Irina Mikheyshina and Marina Shibaeva.
The lead performer for “Places for the Soul” is Petr Nalich, who will sing about the soul and more. Ten installations will appear in surprising, even hidden parts of the city. Kirill Lebedev (Kim), Blue Pencil, Svetlana Rastebina, Misha Rubankov, Margo Trushina, Olga Bozhko, Vladimir Marin, Ulyana Podkorytova and Dmitry Barbanel’s Workshop will participate in the project. A dedicated map will guide visitors to the installations during the festival days and beyond; the works will remain in place, inviting new stories about the city.
In the flooded Ilyinsky Meadow a full theatrical stage will host festival audiences who will witness birds in wintering, watch kites with Tonino Guerra’s butterfly drawings, and enjoy short performances celebrating simple joys — the song of birds, the arrival of evening, a gust of wind and crickets chirping.
Tonino Guerra believed there is a day in every person’s life when beauty reveals itself. The Places for the Soul festival invites viewers to discover fresh facets of the unique Suzdal and its enduring spirit.
More details [Myra Festival].