Lo jurodivyj in Nostalghia. Genesi ed evoluzione di Domenico nella sceneggiatura di Tarkovskij e Guerra

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the evolution of Domenico’s character in the different versions of Nostalghia’s script, written by Andrei Tarkovsky and Tonino Guerra. By comparing the director’s diaries with the twelve original typescripts kept in the Tarkovsky’s archive, it is possible to trace the origin and the evolution of the character, which has some similarities with the holy fool of Russian tradition. In the first versions of the script, in which the character is still vague and undefined, there are some quotes from Dostoevsky’s works that refer to the theme of madness. These references disappear in the latest versions, when Domenico begins to acquire more importance in the narrative and often expresses himself about madness with quotes from Guerra’s works.