THE STORY – A vivid visual exploration of the USSR using archival footage from 1970-73, revealing the Soviet Union’s concealed colonial structures and the enduring strength of its diverse populations.
THE CAST – N/A
THE TEAM – Sergei Loznitsa (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 175 Minutes
For many around the globe, there has been a simple definition relating to certain countries and regions that have existed for some time. In regard to Westerners, the USSR was always directly related to the Russian government and its oppressive policies that made it a dangerous enemy to the pursuit of freedom that other countries sought to achieve. Arguing for or against this point is immaterial to the fact that discussions of this country have always focused on a centralized point that drove homogeneity. This narrative has been established for decades. However, like many tales handed down through history, the landscape is far more complex. “Imperium” answers this perception of what the USSR was actually composed of, exposing a rich tapestry that becomes an engrossing experience.
The film is assembled entirely from archival footage, taken by Italian filmmakers who documented the region in the early 1970s. The picture opens on the opulence of Moscow, celebrating the nation’s political dominance and showing inhabitants embracing the modernity of the new age. Soon, the attention drifts to other locales beneath this giant umbrella, revealing far corners of Eastern Europe and Asia with cultural backgrounds quite removed from what is represented in the central hub. As more areas are explored, offering a window into the differing backgrounds brought together under a single banner, the perception of this world power shifts. What is revealed is a far more eclectic grouping that potentially dispels preconceived notions about these citizens.
It’s impressive how director Sergei Loznitsa took this mountain of footage and assembled a compelling trek through the nation. What is presented is a captivating time capsule, perfectly preserving the differing cultures that made up this vast country. It’s fascinating to begin with Russia’s capital city, capturing the opulence of modernity as people shop and visit museums, before the perspective branches out into other arenas. We are treated to a vast array of cultural practices that differ wildly from one another. We witness a variety of outdoor festivals, working industries, and aesthetic details that highlight the immense diversity thriving across the country. The juxtaposition of one wedding taking place far out in the countryside, complete with traditional dancing and music, with another in a different area, with participants in modern dress swaying to a jazzy score, is alluring. So is the image of Ukrainian school children swearing allegiance to the Russian state in a grand statement of current irony. To see places like Estonia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Georgia each with their own specific identities, forced under a single canopy to celebrate their differences, is a stark portrait to display. Lenin’s picture may hang over many spaces in these places, but seeing such ideology bolstered in remote Asian villages of Buddhist camel herders is provocative.
As engaging as the film’s content is, there is a limit to how impactful the storytelling can be. The piece has no traditional narrative. We don’t follow the storyline of one individual’s growth or evolution or have any kind of concrete throughline. There are a kind of chapter breaks that occur when leaving one location and entering another, as a red screen appears accompanied by a loud chime. In time, the chime is revealed to be a clock, signaling the hurried end to the Soviet Union. It’s a clever device, but it doesn’t completely help connect these disparate viewpoints. Some specific sections fulfill this prompt, like witnessing a mountain of cotton being harvested, tracked through processing at the factory, sewn into clothing, and displayed by models. However, most of this showcase is a rather repetitive exercise that can grow tedious during its nearly three-hour runtime. Even though there is a good amount of interesting topics to mine, it can sometimes be a restless effort to traverse these landscapes in its entirety.
There’s a little bit of a flavor of “Koyaanisqatsi” that is represented within “Imperium.” The way it wordlessly travels through different sections of the globe to offer thematic commentary rather than conform to familiar storytelling tropes can be mesmerizing, though this film doesn’t have as much stylized, controlled imagery. The dated footage reveals a fractured environment at odds with the directive of the Russian state, and glimpsing such territories from decades ago is a privileged sight. The massive undertaking can sometimes collapse under the weight of its own ambition, and every exploit is not equally enticing. Still, what is shown here is an absorbing analysis of a bygone era that highlights the wide perspectives that often were forgotten. In an age when history is often challenged and distorted, it’s a welcome sight.
