A Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast with Ally Pitts

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/our...

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...

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...

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...

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 intro...

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 in...

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 th...

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://oxfordco...

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 epis...

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 Oxf...

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...

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 th...

To celebrate the Latvian film Flow winning the best animation category at the 2025 Oscars, Ally Pitts introduces an episode from previous guest Kristaps Andrejsons, which was originally published on his 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...

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:/...

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/ Stre...

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'...

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/arussiansovietmoviepodc...

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   ht...

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 menti...

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 2...

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-russi...

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/  ...

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...

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 mi...

Ally Pitts introduces an 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...