Sarcophagus (2001)

The film centers on the Oval Sarcophagus, a piece from the Pushkin Museum's antique collection featuring Dionysian scenes. Throughout history, it belonged to Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, Italian Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps, and ultimately, Count Sergei Uvarov, Russia’s Minister of Public Education, who acquired it for his collection at the Porechye estate near Moscow. The sarcophagus's journey offers a reflection on the links between different eras and cultures, the unpredictable nature of fate, and the enduring questions of life and death. Filming took place in museums across Moscow and Rome, as well as at the Porechye estate and the Hermitage.