Joseph Stalin is a towering figure in world history. For many, when you think of communism and the Soviet Union, Stalin is the name that comes up. And while he’s also known for horrible atrocities that caused the deaths of many, many people in his own country, upon his death he was still revered, as seen in the new documentary, “State Funeral.”
In honor of “State Funeral” arriving in select theaters soon, we’re excited to give our readers an exclusive look at the trailer for the documentary. As the title implies, “State Funeral” is a documentary that gives an unprecedented look at the days following the death of Joseph Stalin, as citizens of the Soviet Union gather at the Red Square to mourn the loss of their leader. The film is created from dozens of hours of rarely-seen footage that has been restored and now paints the picture of this historical event.
The new documentary is directed by Sergei Loznitsa. Throughout his career, he’s worked in both documentaries and narrative features. He’s probably most known for his films “In the Fog,” “Austerlitz,” and “Donbass.” The latter earned him the Un Certain Regard prize for Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018.
“State Funeral” opens in select theaters on May 7 via MUBI. You can watch the exclusive trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
Moscow, March 1953: in the days following the death of Joseph Stalin, countless citizens flooded the Red Square to mourn their leader’s loss and witness his burial in Lenin’s Tomb. Though the parade of pomp and circumstance was captured in detail by 200 camera operators, their footage has remained largely unseen in the intervening decades. Working from 40 hours of revelatory archival material — stunningly restored in both crisp black-and-white and vivid colour — master filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa (Donbass, A Gentle Creature, Maidan, The Trial) has crafted one of his most astonishing nonfiction achievements. Monumental in both its scope and scale, State Funeral provides an eerily immediate recreation of this historical spectacle. Loznitsa immerses us in the ceremony and constructs an eye-opening vision of the Soviet Union, from the staggering procession of mourners at the coffin to the stirring public speeches given by prominent party members. In the process, Loznitsa presents an all-too-timely commentary on the terrifying absurdities inherent in totalitarianism and the cult of personality.