Soviet director Dziga Vertov’s experimental film grew out of his belief, shared by his editor, Elizaveta Svilova (who was also his wife), and his cinematographer, Mikhail Kaufman (also his brother), that the true goal of cinema should be to present life as it is lived. To that end, the filmmakers offer a day-in-the-life portrait of a city from dawn until dusk, though they actually shot their footage in several cities, including Moscow, Kiev, and Odessa. After an opening statement, there are no words in the film (neither voice-over nor titles), just dazzling imagery, kinetically edited – as a celebration of the modern city with a marked emphasis on its buildings and machinery. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide

The film when released in 1929was silent and accompanied in theaters with live music. It has since been released a number of times with different soundtracks. This STF screening will feature a modern musical score by filmmaker John Walter (HOW TO DRAW A BUNNY; THEATER OF WAR).