Summary
A seminal artifact of the Ukrainian avant-garde, Dzhymmi Hihhins transcends the boundaries of traditional narrative cinema by operating as a multi-media dialogue between the stage and the screen. Orchestrated by the visionary Les Kurbas and adapted from Upton Sinclair’s socialist prose, the story follows the titular protagonist—a humble American worker—whose dogmatic commitment to the socialist cause is thrust into the crucible of the First World War. The film functions as a stark, rhythmic juxtaposition: the rhythmic, mechanized slaughter of the trenches is interlaced with the vacuous, opulent excesses of the bourgeoisie. As Higgins traverses the landscape of global conflict, his psychological disintegration serves as a microcosm for the proletariat's betrayal. Kurbas utilizes the cinematic medium not as a standalone spectacle, but as a 'kino-insert' for his Berezil theatre production, creating a jarring, dialectical montage that strips away the romanticism of patriotism to reveal the skeletal greed of the military-industrial complex.
Synopsis
Background component for an eponymous stage play, which contrasts the reality of war with that of high society.
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