A radical, exuberant silent documentary set in Soviet cities and originally suppressed by Stalin's regime, this film will come alive on the glorious big screen at The Capitol with "The Undies" live score.
Man With a Movie Camera (1929) is a radical, exuberant silent documentary that captures a day in Soviet cities through dazzling visual invention, rhythmic editing and bold cinematic structure. Directed by Dziga Vertov, filmed by Mikhail Kaufman and edited by Yelizaveta Svilova, this avant-garde masterpiece film transforms everyday life into a dynamic cinematic portrait.
Despite its exuberant style and radical innovation, 'Man With a Movie Camera' was condemned by Stalin's regime and quietly vanished from Soviet theatres after a brief run.
For this special event, Underground Lovers perform a live score, responding to the film's visual rhythms, tempo shifts and structural patterns. Seeing 'Man With a Movie Camera' with a live, improvised score heightens its energy, emotion and momentum in a way recorded soundtracks simply can't, drawing audiences into a fully immersive cinema experience. Screening at RMIT's Capitol Theatre, this is a rare opportunity to experience a silent era masterpiece re-animated through sound and live performance.
Vincent Giarrusso, from Underground Lovers, is a filmmaker and screen media lecturer with deep familiarity with the film and has led the creative process with sensitivity to Vertov's original vision. Each scene is treated as a narrative moment, with the music enhancing the viewer's emotional and sensory experience. The result is a dynamic, immersive event that brings fresh energy to a silent cinema classic, blending past and present through sound, image, and spontaneous performance.
Man With a Movie Camera + Live Score by Underground Lovers
Dir. Dziga Vertov
Russia
1929
Presented by Castlemaine Documentary Festival film screening and proudly supported by RMIT University.
