The Cameraman's Revenge

The Cameraman's Revenge 1912

7.00

A jilted husband takes his revenge by filming his wife and her lover and showing the result at the local cinema. This was one of Starewicz' first animated films, and stars a cast of animated beetles.

1912

The Dying Swan

The Dying Swan 1917

6.50

After being betrayed by her playboy lover, a heartbroken mute young woman joins a ballet company; during a performance of “The Dying Swan,” she enraptures a painter obsessed with portraying death genuinely.

1917

After Death

After Death 1915

6.20

Young scholar Andrei, fascinated by haunting actress Zoia Kadmina, is surprised when she sends him a note. The two have a brief scheduled meeting, then three months later Andrei is shocked to learn she has died. He becomes obsessed with Zoia's memory and decides he must find out all that he can about her.

1915

Twilight of a Woman's Soul

Twilight of a Woman's Soul 1913

6.00

Despite living in luxury, Vera is lonely and discontented. When she accompanies her mother, the Countess, on a charity visit to the poor, she is troubled by what she sees, and she resolves to do whatever she can to help them…

1913

A Life for a Life

A Life for a Life 1916

5.40

Wealthy Mrs. Khromova has a natural daughter, Musya, and an adopted daughter, Nata. The merchant Zhurov is in love with Nata, and hopes to marry her, but she is non-committal.

1916

The Insects' Christmas

The Insects' Christmas 1913

6.80

A Father Christmas ornament climbs down from a decorated tree, and goes to the forest. There he creates and decorates a Christmas tree for the forest creatures. He then invites all the insects, along with a friendly frog, to come and enjoy the gifts he has prepared, and to celebrate Christmas.

1913

The Night Before Christmas

The Night Before Christmas 1913

5.10

Based on Gogol's story. It is Christmas Eve, and the town witches’ son, a blacksmith, seeks an honest marriage to his love who wishes for a pair of shoes fit for the Tsarina. A mischievous devil is trapped into providing service to the smith.

1913

The Grasshopper and the Ant

The Grasshopper and the Ant 1913

5.70

An ant works to prepare for winter while a drunken grasshopper plays his violin and dances away his time. When the snow arrives, the grasshopper pleads with the ant for shelter and is turned away to die.

1913

Glory to Us, Death to the Enemy

Glory to Us, Death to the Enemy 1914

5.00

This 1914 drama set in the WWI-era relates a heroic act carried out by a war nurse for the Red Cross (Dora Tschitorina) who has witnessed the death of her husband (Ivan Mosjoukine).

1914

Child of the Big City

Child of the Big City 1914

5.50

Seamstress Mary dreams of a better life outside a sweatshop. Her dreams come true when she draws the attention of the bourgeois Victor. She soon tires of him, and thanks to her, his money is almost gone. When he suggests settling down outside the big city, where his money could be enough for a modest living, she leaves him and picks up a new lover. A year later, he is living in a shabby, cold hovel, still pining away for her.

1914

The Queen of Spades

The Queen of Spades 1910

4.40

Based on Pushkin's short story: When his friends play faro, Germann always enjoys watching, but he never gambles himself. One day, as he is watching their game, he learns that an elderly countess staying nearby is said to possess a secret for winning a fortune at the game. Germann is determined to learn this secret from her, and he initiates a romance with her grand-daughter Liza, in order to improve his chances.

1910

The King of Paris

The King of Paris 1917

5.90

This film was the last work of Yevgeni Bauer. At work on the film previous, For Happiness («За счастьем») Bauer broke his leg, and he shot his last film while in his chair, but soon fell ill with pneumonia. He began shooting in early summer of 1917. But he was soon placed in Yalta hospital and 9 June 1917 he died.

1917

The In-Law

The In-Law 1912

5.00

Lusha is suffering from her drunken husband. One day her father-in-law rapes her. Of course, she doesn’t dare admit it to her husband. So, unable to move this incident, Lusha commits suicide...

1912

Children of the Age

Children of the Age 1915

4.70

The picture tells the story of Maria, a devoted wife of a bank employee. The couple has a cozy life; they have a baby but he is cared for by their maid so Maria can spend her time doing terrific things like going shopping. During one of these consumer afternoons, Maria meets by chance an old friend, Lidia, who will introduce her to exclusive idle class social circles. Soon Maria's beauty attracts the interest of Lebedev, a rich old libertine. From that point on Maria suffers continual sexual harassment (worthy of inclusion in any silent film encyclopedia article on beleaguered heroines) which she resists for a time. In the end, however, she falls into his bourgeois claws.

1915

Daydreams

Daydreams 1915

5.20

Sergei’s beloved wife Yelena has passed away, and the bereaved husband is inconsolable. He remains obsessed with pictures of Yelena and with a braid of her hair that he has saved. One day, while walking in the street, he passes by a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Yelena.

1915

Petersburg Slums

Petersburg Slums 1915

1

Five-episode adaptation of the eponymous Russian novel, directed by Pyotr Chardynin et al.

1915

The Little House in Kolomna

The Little House in Kolomna 1913

5.30

Based on the story by Pushkin. Pretty young Parasha is living with her widowed mother. Parasha diligently takes care of many household tasks, but she also enjoys flirting with the guards's officers who pass by her window, and she has one particular favourite. One day, Parasha's mother asks her to hire a cook, and to do so as cheaply as possible. Parasha and her beau soon see a way to use this situation to their own advantage.

1913

A Revolutionary

A Revolutionary 1917

6.00

In 1907, the Russian authorities learn that a revolutionary known as 'Granddad' is living in hiding with his brother. The revolutionary is soon arrested and sent to Siberia. After ten years of struggling to survive in harsh conditions, he is finally released when the Tsarist government is overthrown in February 1917. He is welcomed home as a hero, but he soon finds that even his own son has different views than he does about the future of Russia.

1917