Explore every episode of the podcast A Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast with Ally Pitts

29th September is Silent Movie Day, which means cinemas/movie theaters around the world will be showing some of the best surviving films from this incredible era of film! In this mini-sode, host Ally Pitts also trails that the next regular episode of the show will be about Lev Kuleshov's 1926 gothic western masterpiece By the Law. Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode: Event listings by US state & by countries besides the US: https://silentmovieday.org/participate-1 

https://silentmovieday.org/about-nsmd 

Ultimate Picture Palace Oxford: https://uppcinema.com/show/a-page-of-madness-live-score/

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show quite a while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/ 

instagram.com/allypittsmoviesbooksmusicetc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Host and creator Ally Pitts outlines what you can expect from the podcast, shares why he started it, and his experience of making the show since 2017. He signposts some popular episodes to get you started. He also outlines the show's position on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Short version: the show stands with Ukraine. This trailer was written, recorded, and released late August 2026.

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/ 

instagram.com/allypittsmoviesbooksmusicetc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Ally Pitts will be introducing Silents Synched's R.E.M. x Sherlock Jr, directed by Buster Keaton at the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford on Monday 27th July '26 as part of the Oxford Comedy Festival 2026. Besides this show, Ally co-hosts Gentlemen Don't Get Caught: An R.E.M. track-by-track podcast with Lyn Seren. More links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

https://uppcinema.com/show_type/oxford-comedy-festival-2026/ 

https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk/ourshows 

https://www.silentsynced.com/ 

https://silentmovieday.org/

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show quite a while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/ 

instagram.com/allypittsmoviesbooksmusicetc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Ally Pitts will be introducing Silents Synched's R.E.M. x Sherlock Jr, directed by Buster Keaton at the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford on Monday 27th July '26 as part of the Oxford Comedy Festival 2026. Besides this show, Ally co-hosts Gentlemen Don't Get Caught: An R.E.M. track-by-track podcast with Lyn Seren. More links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

https://uppcinema.com/show_type/oxford-comedy-festival-2026/ 

https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk/ourshows 

https://www.silentsynced.com/ 

https://silentmovieday.org/

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show quite a while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/ 

instagram.com/allypittsmoviesbooksmusicetc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Ally Pitts will be introducing Silents Synched's R.E.M. x Sherlock Jr, directed by Buster Keaton as part of the Oxford Comedy Festival 2026. Besides this show, Ally co-hosts Gentlemen Don't Get Caught: An R.E.M. track-by-track podcast with Lyn Seren. More links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

https://uppcinema.com/show_type/oxford-comedy-festival-2026/ 

https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk/ourshows 

https://www.silentsynced.com/ 

https://silentmovieday.org/

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show quite a while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Our host Ally Pitts has co-programmed a season of four films by the Polish director Andrzej Wajda at Oxford's Ultimate Picture Palace cinema as part of the Kinoteka Polish Film Festival 2026. To launch the season, he’ll be introducing Ashes and Diamonds there at 3pm on Sunday 12th April.

https://uppcinema.com/show_type/kinoteka-on-tour-2026/

More links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

For a 30-day free trial of the streaming service Klassiki: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

https://uppcinema.com/show_type/kinoteka-on-tour-2026/ 

https://kinoteka.org.uk/programme/strands/kinoteka-on-tour/manchester 

https://kinoteka.org.uk/programme/strands/kinoteka-on-tour/edinburgh

https://kinoteka.org.uk/programme/strands/kinoteka-on-tour/newcastle

https://kinoteka.org.uk/programme 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-10-favourite-polish-films/ 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-klassiki-recommendations-updated-regularly/detail/ 

https://www.secondrundvd.com/index.html 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show quite a while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Cameron Lallana of The Slavic Literature Pod joins host Ally Pitts for a special episode on this short but hard-hitting novel about a Russian journalist whose life is thrown into chaos when a figure from his past suddenly comes back into his life as the leader of a terrorist group. The premise sounds run-of-the-mill, but the execution is anything but as the situation causes our protagonist to dig into his memories of the past few decades to try to figure out what has happened to Russian society during that time. Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

https://slaviclitpod.com/

https://europaeditions.co.uk/book/9781787704879/not-russian 

https://www.europaeditions.com/author/337/mikhail-shevelev 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/noirvember-2024/detail/ Not Russian By Mikhail Shevelev (uk.bookshop.org affiliate link)  A Very Short Introduction to Film Noir (uk.bookshop.org affiliate link) - Film Noir https://ko-fi.com/russiansovietmoviepod https://patreon.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc BBC Radio 4 - The Reith Lectures, Geoffrey Hosking - The Rediscovery of Politics https://herheadinfilms.com/ 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

And our host Ally Pitts is introducing the screening in Banbury! Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 masterpiece finishes its centenary run in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on Sunday 26th October 2025 with screenings at The Light cinemas. Those The Light locations are in: Addlestone, Bolton, Bradford, Cambridge, Huddersfield, New Brighton, Redhill, Sheffield, Sittingbourne, Stockport, Thetford, Walsall, and Wisbech. The film is screening as part of The Light's Iconic strand. Ally also mentions the musician Hugo Max's current UK tour accompanying the silent films Cabinet of Dr Caligari, Nosferatu, Häxan, and Der Golem for the spooky season. Links:

https://banbury.thelight.co.uk/

https://thelight.co.uk/  https://banbury.thelight.co.uk/iconic https://hugomax.co.uk/halloween-with-hugo-uk-tour-2025https://hugomax.co.uk/scoring-silent-cinema https://hugomax.co.uk/upcoming-performances 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/silent-films-with-scores-by-juliet-merchant/

https://www.bfi.org.uk/bfi-film-releases/battleship-potemkin

Klassiki:

Battleship Potemkin is also on the streaming service Klassiki with a score by Max Reinhardt & the Instant Orchestra.

For a 30-day free trial: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/ 

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-klassiki-recommendations-updated-regularly/detail/ 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 masterpiece continues its centenary run in cinemas in the UK and Ireland in throughout September and October 2025. Since we published a mini-episode about this BFI season last week, our intrepid host has been confirmed as providing the intro to the screening at MK Gallery on Friday 26th September at 7pm. He's also in talks with The Light in Banbury, Oxfordshire about introducing it there too on Sunday 26th October!

Links:

https://www.bfi.org.uk/bfi-film-releases/battleship-potemkin

https://mkgallery.org/event/battleship-potemkin-12a/ 

https://banbury.thelight.co.uk/

https://thelight.co.uk/ 

https://uppcinema.com/show/battleship-potemkin/ 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/silent-films-with-scores-by-juliet-merchant/

Klassiki:

Battleship Potemkin is also on the streaming service Klassiki with a score by Max Reinhardt & the Instant Orchestra.

For a 30-day free trial: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/ 

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-klassiki-recommendations-updated-regularly/detail/ 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 masterpiece is in cinemas in the UK and Ireland in late August, and through September and October 2025.

UPDATE: Since this mini-episode was originally published, our intrepid host Ally Pitts has been confirmed as providing the intro to the screening at Milton Keynes Gallery on Friday 26th September at 7pm, and he's also in talks with The Light in Banbury, Oxfordshire to introduce it there too on Sunday 26th October! Battleship Potemkin is also on the streaming service Klassiki with a score by Max Reinhardt & the Instant Orchestra.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

https://www.bfi.org.uk/bfi-film-releases/battleship-potemkin

https://uppcinema.com/show/battleship-potemkin/ 

https://dukeslancaster.org/whats-on/cinema/battleship-potemkin-12a 

https://mkgallery.org/event/battleship-potemkin-12a/ 

https://banbury.thelight.co.uk/

https://thelight.co.uk/ 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/silent-films-with-scores-by-juliet-merchant/

Klassiki:

For a 30-day free trial of the streaming service Klassiki: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/  https://films.klassiki.online/battleship-potemkin 

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-klassiki-recommendations-updated-regularly/detail/ 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Host Ally Pitts shares some news about a season of films adapted from or inspired by the works of Jane Austen that he has co-curated with the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford.

He also mentions Whit Stillman's UK tour in late July 2025. And Soviet Winnie the Pooh. Obviously.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

https://uppcinema.com/show_type/classic-season-jane-austen-250/ 

T. Hanks for the Memories Podcast: Bridge of Spies (2015) episode 

The Social Minute: A Social Network minute-by-minute podcast 

As If! A Clueless minute-by-minute podcast by Darren Husted 

Soviet animator Fyodor Khitruk, director of the Soviet Winnie the Pooh cartoons 

https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk/ 

Milton Keynes Gallery cinema listings 

https://lostreels.co.uk/whitstillmantour.html

Picturehouse Rediscover strand 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Matthew Chadourne, stand-up comedian, executive producer and creative director of the Oxford Comedy Festival, and co-host of the Saint Misbehavin' podcast joins host Ally Pitts to discuss this understated Oscar and Bafta-winning classic by Ukrainian-born World War II veteran Grigori Chukhrai.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk/our-acts  

https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk/shows 

https://qedcomedylab.co.uk/saintmisbehavinpod 

https://www.criterion.com/films/343-ballad-of-a-soldier

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/201-ballad-of-a-soldier 

https://www.criterion.com/shop/browse/list?sort=spine_number&country=Soviet%20Union 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/ten-great-non-hollywood-world-war-ii-movies/detail/

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Host Ally Pitts shares some news about a screening of Andrei Tarkovsky's Mirror that he'll be introducing on Sunday 25th May as part of the Dreamscapes classic season at Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford. He also shares news about screenings of Soviet films at the Prince Charles Cinema, and shares details of silent film screenings with live music by Hugo Max.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

Dreamscapes classic season at Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford

https://uppcinema.com/show_type/classic-season-dreamscapes/ 

Antifa on screen classic season at the UPP

https://uppcinema.com/show_type/classic-season-antifa-on-screen/

Come and See & Elem Klimov

https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/a-russian-soviet-movie-podcast-594862/episodes/come-and-see-elem-klimov-1985-41611107 

https://uppcinema.com/show/come-and-see/

https://letterboxd.com/thetop100/list/the-greatest-films-ever-made-as-selected/ 

https://www.criterion.com/films/28895-come-and-see

The Prince Charles Cinema, Leicester Square, London

https://princecharlescinema.com/seasons-events/bleak-week/

https://princecharlescinema.com/seasons-events/tarkovsky/  

https://princecharlescinema.com/film/6773592/the-colour-of-pomegranates-sayat-nova/ 

https://princecharlescinema.com/film/20569368/the-cranes-are-flying/ 

https://princecharlescinema.com/film/1865782/battleship-potemkin-bronenosets-potyomkin/

https://princecharlescinema.com/whats-on/  

Hugo Max scores silent cinema

https://hugomax.co.uk/news 

https://hugomax.co.uk/upcoming-past-performances 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Host Ally Pitts highlights the 40th anniversary of Come and See, directed by Elem Klimov, shares news about a season of films on the theme of anti-fascism at the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford, and brings attention to a couple of other anti-fascist/anti-totalitarian/anti-cult of personality films. 

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

Antifa on screen at the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford

https://uppcinema.com/show_type/classic-season-antifa-on-screen/

Klassiki

For a 30-day free trial of the streaming service Klassiki: klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/ 

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

Ally’s Klassiki recommendations 

Come and See & Elem Klimov

https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/a-russian-soviet-movie-podcast-594862/episodes/come-and-see-elem-klimov-1985-41611107 

https://uppcinema.com/show/come-and-see/

https://letterboxd.com/thetop100/list/the-greatest-films-ever-made-as-selected/ 

https://www.criterion.com/films/28895-come-and-see

https://princecharlescinema.com/whats-on/  

The Cremator & Juraj Herz

https://uppcinema.com/show/the-cremator/ Sun 11th and Mon 12th MAY

https://uppcinema.com/show_type/classic-season-antifa-on-screen/ 

https://www.secondrundvd.com/release_cremator_bd.html 

https://klassiki.online/caught-by-the-night-gothic-visions-juraj-herz-podcast/ 

The Great Dictator, Charlie Chaplin, Pamela Hutchinson, and Eccentricism in Leningrad

https://uppcinema.com/show/the-great-dictator/ 

https://pamhutch.wordpress.com/in-person/ https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/10-great-films-1925 Includes The Gold Rush and Battleship Potemkin

https://klassiki.online/ian-christie-eccentrism-soviet-avant-garde-podcast/ 

Ordinary Fascism & Mikhail Romm

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/film/triumph-over-violence/ 

Repentance & Tengiz Abuladze 

https://letterboxd.com/film/repentance/ 

https://films.klassiki.online/repentance

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Host Ally Pitts discusses the 2024 documentary Grand Theft Hamlet, directed by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane, shares how Hamlet became his favourite Shakespeare play, and explores its connection to and influence on two of Russian culture's most famous figures, Boris Pasternak and Andrei Tarkovsky. And he talks about Withnail and I. Again. Not necessarily in that order. 

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

mubi.com/russiansovietpod

mubi.com/en/gb/films/grand-theft-hamlet

letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-mubi-recommendations-updated-regularly/

letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-genre-recommendations-documentary/detail/ 

podchaser.com/podcasts/gentlemen-dont-get-caught-1554501 

podchaser.com/podcasts/mubi-podcast-1906950/episodes/grand-theft-hamlet-how-shakesp-243200018  

miltonkeynesmuseum.org.uk/under-the-grid-podcast/ 

podchaser.com/podcasts/under-the-grid-2346988/episodes/stony-stratford-159334015

dangerclosepod.com/doctor-zhivago 

dangerclosepod.com/articles/surplusordnance-episode-24 flixwise.com/2018/08/19/flixwise-canada-ep-22-withnail-and-i/ 

mkpulse.co.uk/withnail-i/ 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast and Ally Pitts you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast linktr.ee/ally_pitts 

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Matthew Chadourne, stand-up comedian, executive producer and creative director of the Oxford Comedy Festival, and co-host of the Saint Misbehavin' podcast joins host Ally Pitts to talk about his various comedy and movie-related projects.

This is designed to serve as an appetizer for an upcoming episode on Grigory Chukrai’s Ballad of a Soldier with Matthew as the guest, which will be released on this feed as soon as it's edited.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk/our-acts 

https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk/shows

https://qedcomedylab.co.uk/saintmisbehavinpod 

https://www.secondrundvd.com/index.html https://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/magdalen-monday-movies/ 

All the Best Lines Ninotchka episode with Ally as the guest

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/  https://www.instagram.com/ally_pitts_movies_etc/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Underdog story? No, this is an undercat story! At the 2025 Oscars the Latvian animation Flow won the best animation category, beating out contenders with much bigger budgets and star names attached.  To celebrate , Ally Pitts introduces an episode from previous guest Kristaps Andrejsons, which was originally published on his current affairs and Soviet history show, The Eastern Border.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/a-russian-soviet-movie-podcast-594862/episodes/state-funeral-sergei-loznitsa-91766026 

https://theeasternborder.lv/about https://uppcinema.com/show/flow/ 

https://dukeslancaster.org/whats-on/cinema/flow-u https://www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/13080/flow Milton Keynes Gallery:

https://mkgallery.org/event/the-4-30-club-away-u/ https://mkgallery.org/event/flow-u/ 

https://mkgallery.org/event/away-u/ 

https://www.thegardencinema.co.uk/film/flow/  Not technically an indie cinema, but still, this interview Picturehouse cinemas did with Gints Zilbalodis is worth a read.

https://www.picturehouses.com/blog/the-movies-me-gints-zilbalodis Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

In your home and maybe in your town?

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

For a 30-day free trial of the streaming service Klassiki: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

https://kinoteka.org.uk/programme 

https://www.instagram.com/gulpfictionbooks/ 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-10-favourite-polish-films/ 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-klassiki-recommendations-updated-regularly/detail/ 

https://www.secondrundvd.com/index.html 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Host Ally Pitts highlights several Soviet silent comedy films screening at Slapstick Festival 2025 in Bristol, UK, and makes some podcast recommendations.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

https://slapstick.org.uk/slapstick-festival-2025/ 

https://pamhutch.wordpress.com/about/ 

Pamela Hutchinson's podcast appearances 

https://www.annabogutskaya.com/ 

https://gulpfictionbooks.com/ Streaming service free trials:

For a 30-day free trial of Klassiki: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription. For a 30-day free trial of MUBI: https://mubi.com/russiansovietpod 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Host Ally Pitts looks back at some highlights of 2024 and looks ahead to 2025. Note from Ally: Unfortunately, the audio for this episode is not up to the usual standard due to a mistake on my part. On balance I thought it was better to release it now as is rather than defer a week until I'd have time to re-record. Thanks for understanding, and please excuse the sound being a little rougher than I'd like on this occasion.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

Support the show and Ally's other movie-related projects at ko-fi.com

Issue 48 of Film Stories magazine, featuring Ally's article on The Point in Milton Keynes, the UK's first multiplex cinema/movie theater.

Ally on The Top 100 podcast with Tim Coleman: Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov; 1929)

Ally on The Pink Smoke podcast with Martin Kessler: The Queen of Spades (Thorold Dickinson; 1949)

The Ultimate Picture Palace, Oxford's independent cinema

The Fright Pub horror movie podcast 

Ally's notes on Lawrence of Arabia for the Danger Close war movie podcast

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-top-10-first-time-watches-of-2024/detail/ 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-top-5-re-watches-of-2024/detail/ 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-top-10-klassiki-watches-of-2024/detail/ 

https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/my-top-10-mubi-watches-of-2024/detail/ Streaming service free trials:

For a 30-day free trial of Klassiki: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription. For a 30-day free trial of MUBI: https://mubi.com/russiansovietpod 

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

We changed the name of the show a little while back, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Composer and musician Juliet Merchant joins host Ally Pitts to discuss some of the silent films she has written scores for. 

At the time of recording, six of the films Juliet has composed scores for are available on the streaming service Klassiki, which is available in the UK, the US, and the Republic of Ireland.

Here’s a link to a 30-day free trial: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/ 

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

The films are: Aelita: Queen of Mars (Yakov Protazanov; 1924)

The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr West in the Land of the Bolsheviks (Lev Kuleshov; 1924)

Girl with the Hatbox (Boris Barnet; 1927)

House on a Volcano (Hamo Bek-Nazaryan; 1929)

Love's Berries (Oleksandr Dovzhenko; 1926)

A Life for a Life (Yevgeny Bauer; 1916) 

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

julietmerchantmusic.com/

The Golden Silent Films podcast

HippCast: The Hippodrome Silent Film Festival podcast 

Ally Pitts on Media-eval: a medieval pop-culture podcast with Dr Sarah Ifft-Decker: The Passion of Joan of Arc (Carl Theodor Dreyer; 1928) 

Ally Pitts on The Top 100 podcast with Tim Coleman: Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov; 1929)

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/ https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/films/reviews/  https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/enjoy-the-silents-my-silent-film-recommendations/  https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/silent-films-with-scores-by-juliet-merchant/ 

We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @RussophilesU

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Ally Pitts announces a screening of Lev Kuleshov’s By the Law; 3pm on Sunday 24th November '24 at the Barbican Cinema, and a screening of Sergei Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin at the Winter Gardens in Morecambe in Lancashire on at 7.15pm on Saturday 30th November '24.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2024/event/silent-film-live-music-by-the-law 

https://www.northernsilents.com/whats-on/battleship-potemkin-morecambe 

https://www.northernsilents.com/silents-by-the-sea 

Ally Pitts on The Top 100 podcast with Tim Coleman: Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov; 1929)

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @RussophilesU

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/ https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/films/reviews/  https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/enjoy-the-silents-my-silent-film-recommendations/  https://letterboxd.com/ally_pitts/list/silent-films-with-scores-by-juliet-merchant/ 

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Classic episode re-release, featuring music by composer Juliet Merchant.

In this episode, originally released in August 2018, Sarah Roberts, artist and podcaster, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this early Soviet silent sci-fi adventure.

SPOILERS from about 16 minutes in until the end. CONTENT WARNING: discussion of the film's depiction of abusive relationships and violence against women.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

Art by guest Sarah Roberts: https://sarahkathleenroberts.com/

Composer Juliet Merchant's live performance dates: julietmerchantmusic.com/ 

Ally Pitts on The Top 100 podcast with Tim Coleman: Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov; 1929)

Ally Pitts on Media-Eval: A Medieval Pod Culture Podcast with Dr. Sarah Ifft-Decker Ally's silent film recommendations on Letterboxd

klassiki.online/yuliya-solntseva-hidden-history-soviet-queen-of-film/ 

klassiki.online/podcast/

For a 30-day free trial of the streaming service Klassiki: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/eye-of-the-storm 

www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/start-here-modernism-in-ukraine 

slaviclitpod.com/aelita-1924-by-protazanov/ 

theukrainianmuseum.org/alexandra-exter-the-stage-is-a-world/ 

Aelita screening 9th November 2024 @ St. Hilda's College, Oxford, UK with live performance by Juliet Merchant 

Aelita screening 20th October 2024 @ the Fine Arts Building, Chicago

Didn't mention this in the episode, but we should have: it's Silent Movie Day 2024 on 29th September.

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles/contacts are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @RussophilesU

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Host Ally Pitts shares news about two exhibitions running in 2024 that feature the work of artist Alexandra Exter. He also discusses a previous film covered on the podcast, Aelita, which she worked on as a costume designer and set decorator. 

The Royal Academy of Art's exhibition is In the Eye of the Storm: Modernism in Ukraine from 1900 to the 1930s. That's in London and runs until 13th October 2024

The Ukrainian Museum's exhibition is Alexandra Exter: The Stage is a World. That's in New York City and is running from 27th September 2024 until 19 January 2025

Links mentioned in the episode: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/eye-of-the-storm 

https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/start-here-modernism-in-ukraine 

Art by previous guest Sarah Roberts:https://sarahkathleenroberts.com/ 

https://slaviclitpod.com/aelita-1924-by-protazanov/ 

https://www.theukrainianmuseum.org/alexandra-exter-the-stage-is-a-world/ 

https://klassiki.online/yuliya-solntseva-hidden-history-soviet-queen-of-film/ 

https://klassiki.online/podcast/ For a 30-day free trial of the streaming service Klassiki: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

Contact us/socials:

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @RussophilesU

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Host Ally Pitts shares news about the BFI's Béla Tarr retrospective season Will Heaven Fall Upon Us?

Ally's local, the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford is one of the participating UK cinemas.

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

Béla Tarr retrospective Season at the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford 

For a 30-day free trial of the streaming service Klassiki: https://klassiki.online/a-russian-soviet-movie-podcast/

The Top 100 podcast with Tim Coleman  

Peter Bradshaw's interview with Béla Tarr for the Guardian  

https://www.criterion.com/films/33388-werckmeister-harmonies  

The British Film Institute's Béla Tarr retrospective season 

Ally's Klassiki recommendations on Letterboxd 

  Damnation blu-ray from Arbelos  

Calvert Journal article on Béla Tarr by Carmen Gray

Some UK independent cinemas taking part in the Béla Tarr retrospective:

https://tynesidecinema.co.uk/film-seasons/bela-tarr-retrospective/  https://www.showroomworkstation.org.uk/belatarrcollection

https://www.riocinema.org.uk/movie/will-heaven-fall-upon-us 

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

Contact us/socials:

We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @RussophilesU

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

International(?) man of mystery Lyn Seren joins Ally Pitts to discuss Andrei Tarkovsky's penultimate film. We also talk about rückenfigurs and Milton Keynes artists Boyd & Evans a bit!

Links mentioned/alluded to in the episode:

International Association for Suicide Prevention’s directory: https://www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/ 

UK: https://www.samaritans.org/ 

US: https://988lifeline.org/ 

All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast

For a 30-day free trial of the streaming service Klassiki: https://klassiki.online/arussiansovietmoviepodcast/

If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

Milton Keynes-based artists Boyd & Evans: https://www.boydandevans.com/  

British-Russian comedian Olga Koch: https://www.rocknrolga.com/ 

Oxford Comedy Festival: https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk/ 

Contact us/socials:

We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are a bit of a mishmash.

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @RussophilesU

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Links mentioned in the episode:

The Top 100 Podcast with Tim Coleman: Man with a Movie Camera episode with Ally Pitts.

Saint Audio Podcast Festival line-up

Saint Audio Podcast Festival announcement episode.

I am Cuba, directed by Mikhail Kalatozov, screening at the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford.

At the time of recording, Salt for Svanetia is available to stream on Klassiki, which is available in the UK, the US, and the Republic of Ireland. If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.

Jean-Pierre Melville episode of Shoot the Piano Player: A French New Wave Podcast with Spencer Seams & Joel Torres.

Criterion release of I am Cuba, directed by Mikhail Kalatozov.

Contact us/socials:

(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are a bit of a mishmash).

Email: russiansovietmoviepod@gmail.com

Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @Russophiles

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Saint Audio Podcast Festival is happening over the late May Bank Holiday Weekend (that's 23-26 May), in Oxford, UK! See you there, maybe?

Links mentioned in the episode:

Saintaudiopodcastfestival.com 

Screening of Spice World (1997) at the Ultimate Picture Palace, presented by The Flop House podcast.

Contact us/socials:

(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are a bit of a mishmash).

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @Russophiles

Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

A fish out of water romantic adventure from the Leningrad film studio LenFilm. A massive hit with Soviet audiences, it's a sort of antecessor of Guillermo Del Toro's The Shape of Water and one of Quentin Tarantino's favourite Soviet films. Ally Pitts presents this episode of The Projection Booth he guested on in 2022.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Listen to the rest of Ally's guest appearances on The Projection Booth.

Contact us:

(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are staying the same for now).

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

The platform formerly known as Twitter: @RussophilesU

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Professor Catriona Kelly will be discussing her new book Russian Food Since 1800: Empire at Table with previous guest on this show, Alissa Timoshkina at Pushkin House in London on Friday 15th March 2024.

It's an in-person & online hybrid event, which will from 6.30 to 8.00 pm GMT.

Find out more about the event and buy tickets at pushkinhouse.org

Our episode on Little Vera (dir. Vasily Pichul; 1988).

Contact us:

(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are staying the same for now).

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

The platform formerly known as Twitter: @RussophilesU

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

In the spirit of High Fidelity, Ally Pitts brings you an audio listicle of some awesome movies he saw for the first time in 2023.

They are, in the order they appear on the episode:

- Conscience (Volodymr Denisenko; 1968)

- Fright Night (Tom Holland; 1985)

- Chameleon Street (Wendell B. Harris Jr; 1989)

- The Queen of Spades (Thorold Dickinson;1949)

- The Afterlight (Charlie Shackleton; 2021)

Honourable mentions to: 

The Ascent (Larisa Shepitko; 1977)

Links mentioned in the episode:

- Ally's Letterboxd page

- Get a 30-day free trial of MUBI

- Ally's MUBI recommendations

- Klassiki (there’s a free 7-day trial available via their website, and you can get 50% off an annual subscription, with the code RUPOD50)

- The Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford

- MK Horror's Facebook group

Contact us:

(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are staying the same for now).

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

The platform formerly known as Twitter: @RussophilesU

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Links mentioned in the episode:

Cinemas screening Tchaikovsky's Wife (UK and Republic of Ireland): sovereignfilms.co.uk/tchaikovskyswife

The Guardian's Pjotr Sauer interviews Kirill Serebrennikov

BBFC content advice for Tchaikovsky's Wife

To receive a 50% discount on an annual subscription to Klassiki, please use the code RUPOD50 at checkout.

Visit Klassiki.Online and sign up for a free trial!

Contact us:

(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are staying the same for now).

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Probably not the best place to start if you're arriving at this feed for the first time.

Ally Pitts reviews Kira Kovalenko's 2021 Ossetian language coming of age drama Unclenching the Fists and then recommends a handful of other films that were streaming on MUBI at the time. For several years, Ally collaborated with the streaming service MUBI in return for a free subscription. He ceased this arrangement after it was revealed that MUBI were taking money from Sequoia Capital, which also invested in an Israeli arms firm complicit in the mass murder of Palestinian civilians. https://www.indiewire.com/news/breaking-news/mubi-lost-200000-subscribers-2025-pr-nightmare-1235188425/ 

Links mentioned in the episode:

A 30-day free trial of MUBI is available visit: https://mubi.com/russiansovietpod Enjoy a month of free films, then tell them why you won't pay for a subscription!

Carmen Gray's article, Scarred States: Unclenching the Fists and the Art of Escape.

Podcast episode on Daughters of the Dust (Julie Dash; 1991), hosted by Spencer Seams & Joel Torres.

Contact us:

(We've changed the name of the show, but the email address is staying the same for now).

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Ally Pitts introduces an episode of All the Best Lines, hosted by Smokey and Adam Roche, that he guested on in 2021. 

Links mentioned in the episode:

Listen to more All the Best Lines episodes.

Listen to our episode on the 1956 Hollywood version of War & Peace. It stars Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda! She's great, he's woefully miscast! Adam Roche is our guest for that one.

Listen to The Projection Booth on Ninotchka.

Contact Us:

(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are staying the same for now).

Twitter: @RussophilesU

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

Dr Samuel Goff, editorial director at the film streaming service Klassiki, joins Ally Pitts to talk about Ally's five film picks from the Klassiki film Library.

To receive a 50% discount on an annual subscription to Klassiki, please use the code RUPOD50 at checkout.

Visit Klassiki.Online and sign up for a free trial!

Follow Klassiki on:

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/klassiki/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100052319903979 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klassiki.online/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Klassiki_Online 

Some Ways You Can Support the podcast:

First of all, please subscribe on your podcast app of choice, if you haven't already!

You can make a one-off donation at ko-fi-com/russophilesunite

If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast

Contact Us:

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Twitter: @RussophilesU

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite

Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/

Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI

To mark the 5th anniversary of the release of the pilot episode for this show, we're taking you to on a trip into the show's pre-history—our host Ally Pitts's podcasting debut! Classic Schmassic was an amazing comedy podcast about movies from before 1980. For this episode, Ally joined hosts Chris Mead & Owen Choules to discuss Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin and whether it lives up to its reputation.

You can find more about Chris and his work as an improv performer and teacher at chrismead.co.

Owen has been a guest on shows including As If: A Minute-by-Minute Clueless podcast and the Four Weddings and a Funeral episode of the brilliant Falling in Love Montage.

Some Ways You Can Support the Show:

First of all, please subscribe on your podcast app of choice, if you haven't already!

You can make a one-off donation at ko-fi-com/russophilesunite

If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.

There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast

Contact Us:

Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI

Ally Pitts introduces a conversation between Dr Sean Guillory and Dr Maria Belodubrovskaya that was originally recorded for the SRB Podcast. Find it wherever you listen to this podcast.

Note: the SRB Podcast is now the Eurasian Knot. 

There's also a brief update on what's happening with the show.

Contact Us:

Twitter: @RussophilesU

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI

We highly recommend you check out this history podcast series centering on Teddy Roe, an American who visited the Soviet Union in 1968.

Visit the Teddy Goes to the USSR website, or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Jenny Shelton from the RSPB discusses this historical drama from Yakutia with host Ally Pitts. The film centres around an elderly couple whose grueling but predictable life in rural Siberia in the 1930s is a disrupted by the arrival of mysterious bird of prey.

Episode Sponsor:

You can watch The Lord Eagle, along with many other films from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia on the streaming service Klassiki Online.

Read uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.

There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast

Music:

The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.

You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.

Contact Us:

Twitter: @RussophilesU

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite

Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI

Podchaser.com is donating $0.25 to support World Central Kitchen's #ChefsForUkraine for every podcast review on their site from now until the end of April 2022.

Russophiles Unite's Podchaser page.

The Eastern Border's Podchaser page.

More about Podchaser's #Reviews4Good campaign.

Here's Podchaser's FAQ about #Reviews4Good. Contact Us:

Twitter: @RussophilesU

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite

Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/

Petrov's Flu film screening times: https://www.odeon.co.uk/films/petrovs-flu/HO00002609/ 

Petrov's Flu + Q&A with Kirill Serebrennikov film screening times:: https://www.odeon.co.uk/films/petrovs-flu--qa/HO00002626/ 

Lyn Seren joins Ally Pitts once again, this time to discuss this surreal Canadian spoof of early Soviet film. Some Ways You Can Support the Show:

First of all, please subscribe on your podcatcher of choice, if you haven't already!

At the time of recording, this film was on MUBI. At the time of this update (Nov '24) it isn't but try out MUBI for free for 30 days with our referral link anyway! www.mubi.com/russiansovietpod  Here are some recommendations! Ally's MUBI recommendations on Letterboxd

If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.

There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast

The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.

You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.

If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:

Twitter: @RussophilesU

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite

Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI

What else did Ally get up to last year when he wasn't recording Russophiles Unite episodes?

Carrie & Ally Pitts discuss a Khrushchev Thaw-era musical satirical comedy from the director of Soviet New Year staple The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!.

Some Ways You Can Support the Show:

First of all, please subscribe on your podcatcher of choice, if you haven't already!

If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.

There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast

The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.

You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.

If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:

Twitter: @RussophilesU

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite

Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI

Film historian and Hamo Bek-Nazarov Project co-founder Daniel Bird joins Ally Pitts to discuss this astonishing debut feature by the late Armenian-Russian director Maria Saakyan. 

To celebrate the release of the new restoration the film on region-free Blu-ray, Second Run are offering 10% off the list price of The Lighthouse and/or any other Blu-ray or DVD on Secondrundvd.com. coupon code RUSSOPHILES at check-out. PLEASE NOTE: this discount covers the Blu-rays & DVDs at secondrundvd.com only, and does not apply to delivery charges. The offer is available until 28th April 2022.

Mayak is also streaming on MUBI. You can claim your free 30-day trial of their incredible film streaming service by visiting: www.mubi.com/russophiles

Ways You Can Support the Show:

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast

If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.

There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.

Music Credits:

The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.

You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.

Contact Us

If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:

Twitter: @RussophilesU

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite

Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI

The Lighthouse [AKA Mayak] (Maria Saakyan; 2006) Blu-ray Giveaway on Twitter

A new restoration of Maria Saakyan’s stunning film The Lighthouse AKA Mayak is out on Blu-ray on 27th September 2021! To celebrate, we've teamed up with Second Run to give away 2 copies of the Blu-ray. To enter: 1) Follow @RussophilesU & @SecondRunDVD on Twitter.

2) Retweet the tweet about the competition (You'll find it at this link).

3) Tag a friend in the replies, or in a quote tweet.

Terms & Conditions:

1. By entering into the competition, all entrants agree to be bound by the terms and conditions.

2. This competition is only open to entrants over 16 years of age.

3. The two winners will receive one of two copies of the region-free The Lighthouse (Mayak) Blu-ray. Please see this link for more details about the release.

4. The closing date for the competition is 8.59pm British Summer Time Monday 27th September 2021. Late entries will not be counted.

5. By entering this competition, you accept that you are prepared to provide a postal address to Second Run for them to send the Blu-ray in the event that you are selected as one of the two winners.

6. Winners will be selected at random from among the entrants. 

7. Winners will be notified by direct message on Twitter.

8. If no reply is received, an alternate winner will be picked at random.

9. The judge’s decision as to the identity of the winners shall be at their sole discretion and shall be final.  

10. In accordance with Twitter’s guidance on competitions, anyone found to have used multiple accounts to enter will not be eligible to win.

11. If you are a relative to Russophiles Unite host Alistair Pitts, or of any employee of Second Run, you will not be eligible to win one of the prizes.

12. Neither Russophiles Unite nor Second Run will disclose your email or postal address to third parties.

More information on the The Lighthouse (Mayak) Blu-ray can be found at this link.

Ally Pitts and Lyn Seren are hosting podcast where they discuss the music of alternative rock legends R.E.M. one track at a time. It's called Gentlemen Don't Get Caught, and we think you should listen to it! You can find the show at this link. 

Kristaps Andrejsons, journalist and host of The Eastern Border podcast, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this documentary which provides a startling insight into the cult of personality surrounding Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

STATE FUNERAL is now showing on MUBI. You can claim your free 30-day trial of their incredible film streaming service by visiting: https://mubi.com/russiansovietpod

- Ally's MUBI recommendations

CONTENT WARNING: In this episode, we discuss the violence of the Soviet state under Joseph Stalin.

If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a copy of The Last Days of Stalin by Joshua Rubenstein, It's Only a Joke, Comrade by Jonathan Waterlow, or another book from the wide selection in our uk.bookshop.org virtual affiliate bookshop. 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.

There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast

The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.

You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.

If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:

Twitter: @RussophilesU

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite

Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI

Phil Manchester, former Moscow resident and pub quizmaster extraordinaire, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this adaptation of the first of Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko detective novels, set in early 1980s Moscow. CONTENT WARNING: The film includes violence and gore, including violence against women.

SPOILERS for both the book and the film (and indeed subsequent Renko books) from about 23 minutes in until the end.

Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite

Listeners in the UK can help the show by picking up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store. The selection includes Gorky Park and the rest of Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko novels.

There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast

The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.

You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.

If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:

Twitter: @RussophilesU

Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite

Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/

Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI