One Word of Trust is an award-winning 28-minute colour film/video based upon Alexander Solzhenitsyn's Nobel Prize Lecture, made and distributed by Anglo-Nordic Productions Trust
The Lecture: In 1970 Solzhenitsyn was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. The following year, three years before his expulsion from the Soviet Union, he wrote, but was never able to deliver, his Nobel Lecture. It is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant statements of this century. The Lecture was the first of his writings to be officially published in the Soviet Union (Novy Mir, July 1989) since the 1960's.
The film: With music by Shostakovich, prison-camp sequences, works of art and historic newsreel footage, the film dramatises contemporary issues such as the differing scales of values in the world, the link between violence and lies, the relevance and power of art and literature, and the crucial role of the individual.
Areas of use: As an essentially inspirational and motivational film, it is relevant to people in all walks of life. It is an ideal film for training programmes with its stress on integrity, and the moral and spiritual values essential to the survival and flourishing of free democratic institutions and market economies. It is a core resource for those involved in Civic, Religious and Moral Education, with direct relevance to Literature and Writing, History, Philosophy, and Art.
Outreach: Over the years the film has been featured at many conferences, including:
- Head Masters' Conference (UK)
- Girls' Schools Association (UK)
- Secondary Heads' Conference (UK)
- Conference of Catholic Secondary Schools (UK)
- Chaplains' Conference (UK)
- The Conference of Deans (UK)
- European Council of Independent Schools (Rome)
- Canadian Association of Independent Schools
- New England Association of Schools & Colleges
- American Association of Community & Junior Colleges
- National Association of Independent Schools (USA)
- National School Boards Association (USA)
- ECIS Spring Conference for Administrators (Portugal)
- National Assn. of Secondary School Principals (USA)
- Headmasters' Association (USA)
- National Assn. of Principals for Schools for Girls (USA)
- Conference of Headmasters and Headmistresses of Private Schools (South Africa)
- American Association of School Administrators - Leadership Conference (USA),
- National Conference of Religious Education Advisers and Inspectors (UK)
- Council of Independent Colleges Academic Deans Institute (USA)
- National Confederation of Parent-Teacher Associations (UK)
The film has been broadcast on television in Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Holland, Ireland, New Zealand, Romania, Russia and Slovakia. It has been acquired by schools, colleges, universities, libraries, military, convents, churches, government, prisons and business.
The film has received the following awards:
- Red Ribbon in the 1984 American Film Festival, Literature category
- Bronze Medal in the 1982 International Film & Television Festival of New York.
In addition to English, the programme is available dubbed in the following languages:
Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, & Swedish. The multi-lingual PAL DVD has all 16 languages with optional Arabic subtitles on the French & English. NTSC DVD – English, French, Mandarin, Spanish & Russian soundtracks.
Reviews & Evaluations
"Although simple in format, this is one of the most beautiful films ever made. British actor Tom Courtenay's gentle voice, with its faint undercurrent of sadness, is the perfect choice to read the moving words of Alexander Solzhenitsyn's Nobel Prize acceptance speech, which the writer was never allowed to deliver.
"As Courtenay reads, there are scenes of the severe winter and forced marches of the Gulag Archipelago, historic newsreel footage of the needs and sufferings of humanity, and live action shots of artists and their works. It is a perfect melding of narration and visuals, with an almost hypnotic effect on the viewer. Surprisingly, it is a hopeful film because of Solzhenitsyn's firm belief in the power of art and literature to counter violence and apathy.
"His basic question is challenging. In a world where people have such differing values about freedom, punishment, material needs, and health care, how can we end the dissension and violence that threaten the world's existence? For Solzhenitsyn, the answer lies in literature and art because violence can only be maintained through lies. `A courageous man does not take part in lies,' he writes, `and writers and artists can defeat lies. Once the lie is revealed, violence is revealed in all its nakedness.'
"These are splendid words that the country should think about. At a time when violence is increasing worldwide, support for the arts is cut, schools eliminate arts programs, libraries are closed, dissenters burn books, and trillions are spent for weaponry, Solzhenitsyn's words are timely and important.
"One Word of Truth is highly recommended for mature high school students, colleges, adult groups (especially those concerned with education), and public libraries."
"Media & Methods", U.S.A., November 1984
A complete review
"This film is true to the spirit of Alexander Solzhenitsyn. It offers, as all his works do, a testament to the human spirit, which endures even in the face of dehumanizing wickedness. The more times one sees this brief film, the more powerful its impact is. I wish that every person in the so-called Free World would see this film - at least twice. It can literally change lives. Further, it encourages its viewers to read the works of this modern master of literature who inspired it."
Edward Ericson, author of "Solzhenitsyn: The Moral Vision"
"Those of us who reviewed the tape were profoundly moved by the message and the treatment of that message. One said, `It probes the deepest springs of art, morality, and intellect.' Another: `The film provides a concrete lesson in objectivity. Truth emerges as a concept transcending language and the barriers of language.' Thank you for bringing One Word of Truth to our attention."
The National Education Association of the United States
"One Word of Truth video-film is one of the most powerful tools the teacher can think of in attempting to tell his or her students about the most basic human values. The young generation in all post-communist countries grew up on listening to lies and learning, not only to distrust clichés, but also to distrust the values described through moral terms. Alexander Solzhenitsyn's text, read in this film in Czech by Radovan Lukavský, purifies the beauty and strength of the language and opens the simplest values even to distrusting souls."
Jan Urban, Co-Founder of Civic Forum, Czech Republic
Original Funding
Anglo-Nordic Productions Trust is a Charity registered in England (No: 280052). The film was financed by gifts from many individuals, schools and Trusts. Sponsors for the fund-raising included:
Lord Blake
Marshall of the Royal Air Force Lord Cameron
Vladimir Bukovksy
Bishop Lancelot Fleming
Professor Sir John Butterfield
General Sir John Hackett
Viscount Caldecote
Michael McCrum
Lord Chalfont
Tom Stoppard
Both the late Lord Butterfield, as he was later to become, and the late Michael McCrum, were subsequently Vice-Chancellors of Cambridge University. Lord Blake was Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Oxford University, 1971-87.
English
