This year's And/Or book award for the best work on the moving image has gone to composer and filmmaker Robert Robertson for his masterful new look at the life and work of the great Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein. Eisenstein On The Audiovisual approaches the director by focusing on his technical achievements and technique, providing fresh insights into films like Battleship Potempkin, Strike, and the Ivan The Terrible trilogy. It also explores his own contributions to film theory.
"We had no hesitation in choosing the winner," said writer and broadcaster Francine Stock, who chaired the judging panel. "Robert Robertson achieves the near-impossible, shedding fresh light on Eisenstein without loading him with ideology. Like the work it describes, this book is symphonic; it draws together strong influences and forces around Eisenstein into a compelling and cogent narrative – at once enjoyable, provocative."
There's something extra special about this year's award, as it marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of the prize, which was awarded by David Puttnam at a London ceremony. Robertson based the winning book on his doctoral research, explaining that Eisenstein has been a major influence in his own film career.
