The East Comes to Chinon Pt 3: Some Pioneers

The earliest film on show in this year's festival was the 1927 Russian film The Battleship Potemkin -  a brilliant dramatisation of the mutiny that occurred in 1905, when the crew on board the Potemkin rebelled against the officers of the Tsarist regime. It is generally regarded as one of the most influential propaganda films of all time.

The Potemkin was built for the Imperial Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet, which was defeated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. Political unrest throughout the Russian Empire along with the defeat at sea,  led to revolutionary activity in the army and the navy. Morale amongst Russian sailors was very low, exacerbated by harsh disciplinary measures and severe service conditions. Groups were created inside the Black Sea Fleet, who were dedicated to the revolution and planned for wide-scale mutiny.

The mutiny on the Potemkin was triggered by the behaviour of some of the senior officers.
They served the crew rotten meat and when one protested he was shot by an officer. In the resulting struggle other officers were killed. Eventually the 700 strong crew seized control and they set sail for the port of Odessa, with a red flag flying. The link is an interesting read and provides a good explanation of events.

The version shown on Sunday morning, was the most recently restored. A fabulous copy, black and white and of course silent. What an experience. The film has five acts, each individually titled. The director establishes an extraordinary rhythmn that achieves such tension as the film progresses. The ability of a 77year old film to shock a 21st century audience was totally unexpected. An amazing piece of work.

A film regarded as the centrepiece of the new wave Czech films was made in 1966.It is available with English subtitles and another version with French subtitles. Trains Étroitement Surveillés. Black and White. The story is set in 1944 with the Germans occupying Czechoslovakia. Milo's father - the best railway engineer - has retired. His son Milo is now starting working in the same station but as an inspector. Milo is overwhelmed by his shyness with women and attempts to commit suicide. His right of passage and transformation, against a backdrop of war, resistance and occupation is totally compelling. We're going to get the DVD. Such a classy piece of work.