The Color of Pomegranates

The Color of Pomegranates is a 1969 Soviet biographical film, which tells the story of the Armenian poet/singer Sayat-Nova in a poetical rather than literal style. It is directed by Sergei Parajanov. It was shot on location in Armenia. It is a visually striking film.

via Youtube:

TimeOut has it on their list of Top 100 Films, saying this:

Originally refused an export license, Paradjanov's extraordinary film traces the life of 18th century Armenian poet Sayat Nova ('The King of Song'), but with a series of painterly images strung together to form tableaux corresponding to moments of his life rather than any conventional biographic techniques. Pomegranates bleed their juice into the shape of a map of the old region of Armenia, the poet changes sex at least once in the course of his career, angels descend: the result is a stream of religious, poetic and local iconography which has an arcane and astonishing beauty. Much of its meaning must remain essentially specific to the culture from which the film springs, and no one could pretend that it's all readily accessible, but audiences accustomed to the work of Tarkovsky should have little problem.

It is 84th on the 2012 BFI list of Greatest Films of All Time. Senses of Cinema says, "This deliriously beautiful film is made up of autonomous, resonant images that – like lines of poetry –stay in the mind long after the film has run its course." The Guardian says, "the magnitude of Parajanov’s cinematic achievement is clear to see".

The New York Times says, "anything this purely mysterious has its magic" and closes with this:

Mr. Parandjanov made ''The Color of Pomegranates'' in 1969, and it was released in the Soviet Union three years later. Since then, the director was sent to prison camp for a five-year sentence at hard labor, and he has not made any subsequent films. He ''has been painting and living in harsh circumstances in Tbilisi,'' according to the program notes.

Rotten Tomatoes has a critics score of 91%.