Que Viva Mexico
Directed by: Sergei Eisenstein
1930 / 1979 | USSR | 90 minutes
Screening & Discussion | Friday, November 19, 2021, 7pm |
Free Admission!
Having revolutionized film editing through such masterworks of montage as Potemkin and Strike, Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein emigrated west in hopes of testing the capabilities of the American film industry. Quickly ostracized from Hollywood, Eisenstein, Grigory Alexandrov and photographer Eduard Tisse (at the urging of author Upton Sinclair) wandered south of the border where they began filming a highly stylized documentary on the people and volatile social climate of Mexico. Unfortunately, a lack of funds prohibited the film's completion and the famed director was unable to edit the film. In 1979, by referring to Eisenstein's extensive notes and sketches, Alexandrov assembled the most definitive version of the film; as close to Eisenstein's vision as one is ever likely to see.
A blend of the ethnographic, the political, the scenic and the surreal, Qué Viva México! is nothing short of brilliant and remains superior to the legion of films it strongly influenced: Orson Welles' It's All True, Allejandro Jodorowsky's El Topo and the works of Sergio Leone. With sequences devoted to the Eden-like land of Tehuantepec, the savage majesty of the bullfight, the struggles of the noble peasant and the hypnotic imagery of the Day of the Dead, Qué Viva México! is a vivid tapestry of Mexican life which, thanks to Alexandrov's careful restoration, takes its rightful place alongside Eisenstein's other legendary works.
A new electroacoustic soundtrack by Rodrigo Sigal will be premiered for Sergei’s Eisenstein’s silent film. A discussion with Rodrigo Sigal will follow the screening.
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• Please note: COVID-19 safety guidelines are in place. At this time, face masks and social distancing from groups outside your party are required regardless of vaccination status. Culver Cinema capacity is currently limited to 50%. We have purchased new aerosolizing guns to further sanitize between each screening.
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COVID-19 Safety Guidelines
To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience, safety guidelines are listed below:
• At this time, face masks are required regardless of vaccination status.
• If you feel unwell, please reschedule your visit.
• Feel free to use hand sanitizing stations and wash hands as necessary.
• As always, large bags, food, and drink are not permitted in the museum and theatre.
• We are following an enhanced cleaning protocol and our ventilation filters are changed regularly.
• Culver Cinema capacity is currently limited to 50% and social distancing is required in the theatre. We have purchased new aerosolizing guns to further sanitize between each screening.
An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public space where people are present. We cannot guarantee you will not be exposed to COVID-19 during your visit. Those visiting UCR ARTS do so at their own risk of such exposure.
