Mother

Sunday 29th March 2009 | 2pm book tickets

1hr 30. Soviet Union 1926. Directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin. With Vera Baranovskaya and Nikolai Batalov.

Based on a Maxim Gorky story, Mother recreates the abortive Russian revolution of 1905. The title character is the unwitting cause of the imprisonment of her political-activist son. When her boy is killed in an escape attempt, she is awakened to the horrors of the Czarist regime, and picks up his political cause. The sweep and scope of the action scenes in Mother never dwarf the human story. Mother was the first of Russian-filmmaker Vsevold Pudovkin's ‘personal epics’ – films that weave spectacular historical tales while never losing sight of the individual, and individual emotions, that motivate those tales.

The Phoenix is the oldest continually operating cinema in the country and is presenting this classic film with live musical accompaniment.  Live music transforms and enchances the silent picture experience and this screening will be accompanied by acclaimed pianist John Sweeney.  Each film will be preceded by an introductory talk by film historian Gerry Turvey.

This screening will be preceded by shorts by Robert Paul. Titles tbc.