The Auteur's Selection Complementing the Tone of Aelita, the Queen ...

Dir: Yakov Protazanov

Adaptation of Thurston's Irish novel, "Masquerader". Tells the sinister story of a distinguished British gentleman (Mosjoukine), who, while serving as a member of the House of Commons, also becomes a morphine addict and is tormented by a double of himself.

Dir: Yakov Protazanov

The Kostomarov family falls apart when a female relative joins the household.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Anfisa perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Yakov Protazanov

A romance in the upper-classes develops as the Bolshevik revolution is at hand.

Dir: Yakov Protazanov

Ivan Savonsky, popular society artist, meets Olga Kartoff, a young woman high in social circles, and while she is instantly attracted by him, he sees in her only the perfect model for his picture, "The Dagger Woman." Studying her, and by carefully playing on her emotions he gains her confidence, and afterward she consents to pose for him. The picture completed, she is grieved and then angered to discover that Ivan's interest rests solely in it, and how it will fare at the exhibition. She pleads with him in vain. The picture is pronounced a masterpiece, and Ivan is in his triumph as he returns to his studio. Here Olga has secreted herself. Humiliated by the reports circulated regarding herself and the artist, and unable longer to bear his disinterest she plunges a dagger to his heart and kills him.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Bogatyr dukha perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Richard Smith

Two female candidates for Chief of Police live across the hall from each other, and their political rivalry follows them home, leading to plenty of hi-jinks.

Dir: Yakov Protazanov

Pastor Talnox furiously urges the flock to fight temptations, but he himself becomes a victim of temptation. In his house appears Satan, pushing the hero to theft and spiritual fall.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Dagger Woman perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Yakov Protazanov

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Yakov Protazanov

While hosting a game of cards one night, Narumov tells his friends a story about his grandmother, a Countess. As a young woman, she had once incurred an enormous gambling debt, which she was able to erase by learning a secret that guaranteed that she could win by playing her cards in a certain order. One of Narumov's friends, German, has never gambled, but he is intrigued by the story about the Countess and her secret. He soon becomes obsessed with learning this secret from her, and he starts by courting her young ward Lizaveta, hoping to use her to gain access to the Countess.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Lunatics in Politics perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Yakov Protazanov

Prince Kasatsky is a just and proud youth, shock and disappointment with the world bring him to church, he becomes father Sergius. It is a story of his piety and temptation.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.