Cinephile, history fan, and one-time Muscovite Ally Pitts explores contemporary and Soviet-era Russian language cinema one film at a time! The show combines interviews and movie discussion, and features expert guests including authors, journalists, stand-up comedians, and indie podcasters. From time to time, it also tackles Hollywood’s attempts to bring aspects of Russian culture, literature, and history to the Silver Screen.
Episodes
Sunday Sep 22, 2024
Sunday Sep 22, 2024
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 mentioned/alluded to in the episode:
Art by guest Sarah Roberts: https://sarahkathleenroberts.com/
Composer Juliet Merchant's live performance dates: julietmerchantmusic.com/
Ally Pitts on The Top 100 podcast with Tim Coleman: Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov; 1929)
Ally Pitts on Media-Eval: A Medieval Pod Culture Podcast with Dr. Sarah Ifft-Decker
klassiki.online/yuliya-solntseva-hidden-history-soviet-queen-of-film/
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.
www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/eye-of-the-storm
www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/start-here-modernism-in-ukraine
slaviclitpod.com/aelita-1924-by-protazanov/
theukrainianmuseum.org/alexandra-exter-the-stage-is-a-world/
Aelita screening 20th October 2024 @ the Fine Arts Building, Chicago
Didn't mention this in the episode, but we should have: it's Silent Movie Day 2024 on 29th September.
Ally's silent film recommendations on Letterboxd
Contact us/socials:
All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast
We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are a bit of a mishmash.
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @RussophilesU
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Saturday Aug 24, 2024
Saturday Aug 24, 2024
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 2024
The Ukrainian Museum's exhibition is Alexandra Exter: The Stage is a World. That's in New York City and is running from 27th September 2024 until 19 January 2025
Links mentioned in the episode:
https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/eye-of-the-storm
https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/start-here-modernism-in-ukraine
Art by previous guest Sarah Roberts:https://sarahkathleenroberts.com/
https://slaviclitpod.com/aelita-1924-by-protazanov/
https://www.theukrainianmuseum.org/alexandra-exter-the-stage-is-a-world/
https://klassiki.online/yuliya-solntseva-hidden-history-soviet-queen-of-film/
https://klassiki.online/podcast/
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.
Contact us/socials:
All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast
We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are a bit of a mishmash.
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @RussophilesU
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Sunday Jul 21, 2024
Sunday Jul 21, 2024
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-russian-soviet-movie-podcast/
The Top 100 podcast with Tim Coleman
Peter Bradshaw's interview with Béla Tarr for the Guardian
https://www.criterion.com/films/33388-werckmeister-harmonies
The British Film Institute's Béla Tarr retrospective season
Ally's Klassiki recommendations on Letterboxd
Damnation blu-ray from Arbelos
Calvert Journal article on Béla Tarr by Carmen Gray
Some UK independent cinemas taking part in the Béla Tarr retrospective:
https://tynesidecinema.co.uk/film-seasons/bela-tarr-retrospective/
https://www.showroomworkstation.org.uk/belatarrcollection
https://www.riocinema.org.uk/movie/will-heaven-fall-upon-us
All the links for a Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast you're ever likely to want or need: linktr.ee/russiansovietmoviepodcast
Contact us/socials:
We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are a bit of a mishmash.
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @RussophilesU
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Sunday Jul 14, 2024
Sunday Jul 14, 2024
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/
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.
Milton Keynes-based artists Boyd & Evans: https://www.boydandevans.com/
British-Russian comedian Olga Koch: https://www.rocknrolga.com/
Oxford Comedy Festival: https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk/
Contact us/socials:
We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are a bit of a mishmash.
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @RussophilesU
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Sunday May 19, 2024
Sunday May 19, 2024
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 in the UK, the US, and the Republic of Ireland. If you use the code RUPOD50, you can get 50% off an annual subscription.
Criterion release of I am Cuba, directed by Mikhail Kalatozov.
Contact us/socials:
(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are a bit of a mishmash).
Email: russiansovietmoviepod@gmail.com
Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @Russophiles
Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser
Sunday Apr 07, 2024
Sunday Apr 07, 2024
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:
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 mishmash).
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Twitter (or 'X', if you really insist): @Russophiles
Instagram: instagram.com/russiansovietmoviepodcast/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Sunday Mar 17, 2024
Sunday Mar 17, 2024
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 Twitter: @RussophilesU
Sunday Feb 18, 2024
Sunday Feb 18, 2024
Professor Catriona Kelly will be discussing her new book Russian Food Since 1800: Empire at Table with previous guest on this show, Alissa Timoshkina at Pushkin House in London on Friday 15th March 2024.
It's an in-person & online hybrid event, which will from 6.30 to 8.00 pm GMT.
Find out more about the event and buy tickets at pushkinhouse.org
Our episode on Little Vera (dir. Vasily Pichul; 1988).
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 Twitter: @RussophilesU
Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser
Sunday Jan 28, 2024
Sunday Jan 28, 2024
In the spirit of High Fidelity, Ally Pitts brings you an audio listicle of some awesome movies he saw for the first time in 2023.
They are, in the order they appear on the episode:
- Conscience (Volodymr Denisenko; 1968)
- Fright Night (Tom Holland; 1985)
- Chameleon Street (Wendell B. Harris Jr; 1989)
- The Queen of Spades (Thorold Dickinson;1949)
- The Afterlight (Charlie Shackleton; 2021)
Honourable mentions to:
The Ascent (Larisa Shepitko; 1977)
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Get a 30-day free trial of MUBI
- The Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford
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 Twitter: @RussophilesU
Sunday Jan 14, 2024
Sunday Jan 14, 2024
Links mentioned in the episode:
The Guardian's Pjotr Sauer interviews Kirill Serebrennikov
BBFC content advice for Tchaikovsky's Wife
To receive a 50% discount on an annual subscription to Klassiki, please use the code RUPOD50 at checkout.
Visit Klassiki.Online and sign up for a free trial!
Contact us:
(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are staying the same for now).
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
The platform formerly known as Twitter: @RussophilesU
Sunday Dec 17, 2023
Sunday Dec 17, 2023
Probably not the best place to start if you're arriving at this feed for the first time.
Sunday Nov 26, 2023
Sunday Nov 26, 2023
Ally Pitts reviews Kira Kovalenko's 2021 Ossetian language coming of age drama Unclenching the Fists and then recommends a handful of other films currently streaming on MUBI.
Links mentioned in the episode:
To get a 30-day free trial of MUBI, please visit:https://mubi.com/russiansovietpod
Carmen Gray's article, Scarred States: Unclenching the Fists and the Art of Escape.
Podcast episode on Daughters of the Dust (Julie Dash; 1991), hosted by Spencer Seams & Joel Torres.
Contact us:
(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are staying the same for now).
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
The platform formerly known as Twitter: @RussophilesU
Sunday Nov 05, 2023
Sunday Nov 05, 2023
Ally Pitts introduces an episode of All the Best Lines, hosted by Smokey and Adam Roche, that he guested on in 2021.
Links mentioned in the episode:
Listen to more All the Best Lines episodes.
Listen to our episode on War & Peace with Adam Roche.
Listen to The Projection Booth on Ninotchka.
Contact Us:
(We've changed the name of the show, but the social handles are staying the same for now).
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Sunday Aug 20, 2023
Sunday Aug 20, 2023
Dr Samuel Goff, editorial director at the film streaming service Klassiki, joins Ally Pitts to talk about Ally's five film picks from the Klassiki film Library.
To receive a 50% discount on an annual subscription to Klassiki, please use the code RUPOD50 at checkout.
Visit Klassiki.Online and sign up for a free trial!
Follow Klassiki on:
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/klassiki/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100052319903979
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klassiki.online/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Klassiki_Online
Some Ways You Can Support the podcast:
First of all, please subscribe on your podcast app of choice, if you haven't already!
You can make a one-off donation at ko-fi-com/russophilesunite
If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Contact Us:
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Nov 20, 2022
Sunday Nov 20, 2022
To mark the 5th anniversary of the release of the pilot episode for this show, we're taking you to on a trip into the show's pre-history...our host Ally Pitts's podcasting debut!
Classic Schmassic was an amazing comedy podcast about movies from before 1980. For this episode, Ally joined hosts Chris Mead & Owen Choules to discuss Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin and whether it lives up to its reputation.
You can find more about Chris and his work as an improv performer and teacher at chrismead.co.
Owen has been a guest on shows including As If: A Minute-by-Minute Clueless podcast and the Four Weddings and a Funeral episode of the brilliant Falling in Love Montage.
Some Ways You Can Support the Show:
First of all, please subscribe on your podcast app of choice, if you haven't already!
You can make a one-off donation at ko-fi-com/russophilesunite
If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.
There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Contact Us:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Sep 25, 2022
Sunday Sep 25, 2022
Ally Pitts introduces a conversation between Sean Guillory and Maria Belodubrovskaya that was originally recorded for the SRB Podcast. Find it wherever you listen to this podcast.
There's also a brief update on what's happening with the show.
Also, Feedspot added us to their 100 best movie podcasts list, which is pretty awesome!
Contact Us:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Jun 26, 2022
Sunday Jun 26, 2022
We highly recommend you check out this history podcast series centering on Teddy Roe, an American who visited the Soviet Union in 1968.
Visit the Teddy Goes to the USSR website, or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.
Sunday May 08, 2022
Sunday May 08, 2022
Jenny Shelton from the RSPB discusses this historical drama from Yakutia with host Ally Pitts. The film centres around an elderly couple whose grueling but predictable life in rural Siberia in the 1930s is a disrupted by the arrival of mysterious bird of prey.
Episode Sponsor:
You can watch The Lord Eagle, along with many other films from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia on the streaming service Klassiki Online.
Some Ways You Can Support the Show:
First of all, please subscribe on your podcatcher of choice, if you haven't already!
If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.
There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Music:
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
Contact Us:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Monday Apr 11, 2022
Monday Apr 11, 2022
Podchaser.com is donating $0.25 to support World Central Kitchen's #ChefsForUkraine for every podcast review on their site from now until the end of April 2022.
Russophiles Unite's Podchaser page.
The Eastern Border's Podchaser page.
More about Podchaser's #Reviews4Good campaign.
Here's Podchaser's FAQ about #Reviews4Good.
Contact Us:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Monday Feb 14, 2022
Monday Feb 14, 2022
Petrov's Flu film screening times: https://www.odeon.co.uk/films/petrovs-flu/HO00002609/
Petrov's Flu + Q&A with Kirill Serebrennikov film screening times:: https://www.odeon.co.uk/films/petrovs-flu--qa/HO00002626/
Sunday Jan 23, 2022
Sunday Jan 23, 2022
Lyn Seren joins Ally Pitts once again, this time to discuss this surreal Canadian spoof of early Soviet film.
Some Ways You Can Support the Show:
First of all, please subscribe on your podcatcher of choice, if you haven't already!
Try out MUBI for free for 30 days with our referral link, www.mubi.com/russophiles
If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.
There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Monday Jan 17, 2022
Monday Jan 17, 2022
What else did Ally get up to last year when he wasn't recording Russophiles Unite episodes?
Sunday Dec 26, 2021
Sunday Dec 26, 2021
Carrie & Ally Pitts discuss a Khrushchev Thaw-era musical satirical comedy from the director of Soviet New Year staple The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!.
Some Ways You Can Support the Show:
First of all, please subscribe on your podcatcher of choice, if you haven't already!
If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.
There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Film historian and Hamo Bek-Nazarov Project co-founder Daniel Bird joins Ally Pitts to discuss this astonishing debut feature by the late Armenian-Russian director Maria Saakyan.
To celebrate the release of the new restoration the film on region-free Blu-ray, Second Run are offering 10% off the list price of The Lighthouse and/or any other Blu-ray or DVD on Secondrundvd.com. coupon code RUSSOPHILES at check-out. PLEASE NOTE: this discount covers the Blu-rays & DVDs at secondrundvd.com only, and does not apply to delivery charges. The offer is available until 28th April 2022.
Mayak is also streaming on MUBI. You can claim your free 30-day trial of their incredible film streaming service by visiting: www.mubi.com/russophiles
Ways You Can Support the Show:
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.
There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.
Music Credits:
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
Contact Us
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
The Lighthouse [AKA Mayak] (Maria Saakyan; 2006) Blu-ray Giveaway on Twitter
A new restoration of Maria Saakyan’s stunning film The Lighthouse AKA Mayak is out on Blu-ray on 27th September 2021! To celebrate, we've teamed up with Second Run to give away 2 copies of the Blu-ray.
To enter:
1) Follow @RussophilesU & @SecondRunDVD on Twitter.
2) Retweet the tweet about the competition (You'll find it at this link).
3) Tag a friend in the replies, or in a quote tweet.
Terms & Conditions:
1. By entering into the competition, all entrants agree to be bound by the terms and conditions.
2. This competition is only open to entrants over 16 years of age.
3. The two winners will receive one of two copies of the region-free The Lighthouse (Mayak) Blu-ray.
Please see this link for more details about the release.
4. The closing date for the competition is 8.59pm British Summer Time Monday 27th September 2021. Late entries will not be counted.
5. By entering this competition, you accept that you are prepared to provide a postal address to Second Run for them to send the Blu-ray in the event that you are selected as one of the two winners.
6. Winners will be selected at random from among the entrants.
7. Winners will be notified by direct message on Twitter.
8. If no reply is received, an alternate winner will be picked at random.
9. The judge’s decision as to the identity of the winners shall be at their sole discretion and shall be final.
10. In accordance with Twitter’s guidance on competitions, anyone found to have used multiple accounts to enter will not be eligible to win.
11. If you are a relative to Russophiles Unite host Alistair Pitts, or of any employee of Second Run, you will not be eligible to win one of the prizes.
12. Neither Russophiles Unite nor Second Run will disclose your email or postal address to third parties.
More information on the The Lighthouse (Mayak) Blu-ray can be found at this link.
Sunday Aug 08, 2021
Sunday Aug 08, 2021
Ally Pitts and Lyn Seren are hosting podcast where they discuss the music of alternative rock legends R.E.M. one track at a time. It's called Gentlemen Don't Get Caught, and we think you should listen to it!
You can find the show at this link.
Friday May 21, 2021
Friday May 21, 2021
Kristaps Andrejsons, journalist and host of The Eastern Border podcast, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this documentary which provides a startling insight into the cult of personality surrounding Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
STATE FUNERAL is now showing on MUBI. You can claim your free 30-day trial of their incredible film streaming service by visiting:
https://mubi.com/russiansovietpod
CONTENT WARNING: In this episode, we discuss the violence of the Soviet state under Joseph Stalin.
If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a copy of The Last Days of Stalin by Joshua Rubenstein, It's Only a Joke, Comrade by Jonathan Waterlow, or another book from the wide selection in our uk.bookshop.org virtual affiliate bookshop. 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country.
There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday May 02, 2021
Sunday May 02, 2021
Phil Manchester, former Moscow resident and pub quizmaster extraordinaire, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this adaptation of the first of Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko detective novels, set in early 1980s Moscow.
CONTENT WARNING: The film includes violence and gore, including violence against women.
SPOILERS for both the book and the film (and indeed subsequent Renko books) from about 23 minutes in until the end.
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Listeners in the UK can help the show by picking up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store. The selection includes Gorky Park and the rest of Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko novels.
There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Against their better judgement, Ally & Carrie Pitts decided to watch this extremely low-budget adaptation of JRR Tolkien's classic fantasy. Here are a few of their thoughts.
If you'd like to get in touch, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Wednesday Apr 07, 2021
Wednesday Apr 07, 2021
Author and publisher Alex Christofi joins Ally Pitts to discuss the tumultuous life of Fyodor Dostoevsky, who is the subject of his fascinating new biography, Dostoevsky in Love, published by Bloomsbury Continuum.
Listeners in the UK can pick up a copy of Dostoevsky in Love via our uk.bookshop.org affiliate link. 10% of the sale will go towards covering the costs of running the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops! Visit our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here to see the rest of our Russia-themed book selection. As you might expect, there is a section on Classics of Russian Literature.
If you'd like to get in touch, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Apr 04, 2021
Sunday Apr 04, 2021
Nadja Bee, film critic and co-founder of KinoSelect, joins Ally Pitts to discuss a sprawling drama from the 1960s in which a group of friends navigate the trials, tribulations, and joys of young adulthood. Oh, and a youthful Andrei Tarkovsky shows up briefly as a jerk at a party.
CONTENT WARNING: The film's plot includes the death of a parent.
SPOILERS from about 22 minutes in until the end.
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Listeners in the UK can help the show by picking up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store.
There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
Lyn Seren, host of Gentlemen Don't Get Caught: An R.E.M. Podcast, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this depiction of an adolescent conscript's experience of the First World War, which features an unusual (and perhaps not wholly successful) artistic twist.
SPOILERS from about 8 minutes in until the end.
CONTENT WARNING: the film discussed contains violence and nudity.
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Listeners in the UK can help the show by picking up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store.
There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Feb 07, 2021
Sunday Feb 07, 2021
Lyn Seren, host of Gentlemen Don't Get Caught: An R.E.M. Podcast, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this appropriately dark exploration of a relationship between two traumatised young women living in Leningrad in the aftermath of World War II.
SPOILERS from about 20 minutes in until the end.
CONTENT WARNING: the film discussed contains many upsetting scenes, including some containing sexual violence.
At the time of writing, Beanpole is available to watch on MUBI.
- Get a 30-day free trial of MUBI
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Listeners in the UK can help the show by picking up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store.
There's also www.rusandsov.com, where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Monday Jan 25, 2021
Monday Jan 25, 2021
Kino Klassika is a UK non-profit organisation that highlights films from Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Shortly before the launch of Klassiki, Kino Klassika's new streaming service, Ally Pitts spoke to season manager Olga Doletskaya.
Find out more about Kino Klassika: https://www.kinoklassikafoundation.org/
Find out more about Klassiki: https://klassiki.online/
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
If you'd like to get in touch, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Jan 03, 2021
Sunday Jan 03, 2021
Lyn Seren, host of Gentlemen Don't Get Caught: An R.E.M. Podcast joins Ally Pitts to discuss this suitably epic adaptation of Lev Tolstoy's famous masterpiece.
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Listeners in the UK can buy War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and Bondarchuk's War and Peace': Literary Classic to Soviet Cinematic Epic by Professor Denise J. Youngblood via our uk.bookshop.org affiliate links. 10% of the sale will go towards covering the costs of running the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops! Visit our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here to see the rest of our Russia-themed book selection. As you might expect, there is a section on Classics of Russian Literature.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Dec 27, 2020
Sunday Dec 27, 2020
Carrie Pitts, Russian language & literature graduate, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this festive fairy tale adventure featuring winter wizard Ded Moroz and notorious witch Baba Yaga.
Listeners in the UK can buy Why the Bear Has No Tail: And other Russian Folk Tales, translated by Netta Peacock and The Story of Synko-Filipko and other Russian Folk Tales, (both Fontanka Press), translated by Dr Louise Hardiman via our affiliate links here and here. 10% of the sale will go towards covering the costs of running the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops! Visit our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here to see the rest of our Russia-themed book selection.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Morozko is available for free and with English subtitles at russianfilmhub.com.
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Dec 06, 2020
Sunday Dec 06, 2020
Samantha Berkhead, Moscow Times editor and bad movie enthusiast, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this extremely ill-judged pre-teen fish-out-of-water/time-travel comedy which features the doomed Romanov princess as its main character.
Listeners in the UK can support the show by picking up a book via our online affiliate bookshop. 10% of the sale will go towards covering the costs of running the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops! Visit our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here!
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Nov 22, 2020
Sunday Nov 22, 2020
Caroline Ridler, academic and musician, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this musical/drama/biopic which follows the growth of the Leningrad rock scene in the early 1980s, with a particular focus on one of its most famous members, Kino frontman Viktor Tsoi.
Listeners in the UK can buy Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More by Alexei Yurchak from Princeton University Press via our uk.bookshop.org affiliate link. 10% of the sale will go towards covering the costs of running the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops! Visit our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here!
Expect SPOILERS from about 32 minutes in until the end.
Leto stars Teo Yoo, Roman Bilyk, and Irina Starshenbaum.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Check out Caroline's bass covers of Kino songs over at her YouTube channel.
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Monday Nov 02, 2020
Monday Nov 02, 2020
Bianca Garner, film critic and editor and founder of In Their Own League, a website focusing on female filmmakers, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this 1960s romantic drama co-starring legendary Soviet bard Vladimir Vysotsky.
Listeners in the UK can buy Kira Muratova by Jane Taubman from Bloomsbury Books via our uk.bookshop.org affiliate link. 10% of the sale will go towards covering the costs of running the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops! Visit our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here!
Expect SPOILERS from 41 minutes in until the end.
Brief Encounters also stars Kira Muratova and Nina Ruslanova.
Read Bianca's article on Kira Muratova here: intheirownleague.com/2020/06/15/in-their-own-league-hall-of-fame-kira-muratova/
You can watch the film with English subtitles at Russian Film Hub: https://russianfilmhub.com/movies/brief-encounters-1967/
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: https://ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at:
https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/
Or: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1cXWmfhuDWyfKfsYADk96F
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Sunday Nov 01, 2020
Sunday Nov 01, 2020
Dr Sarah Ifft Decker, professional historian and host of Media-eval: A Medieval Pop Culture Podcast, joins Ally Pitts to discuss an epic drama/war movie based on the early career of one of the most (in)famous military leaders in history.
CONTENT WARNING: a character in the film is raped off-screen, there is also several violent battle scenes. This episode also contains some discussion of historical atrocities.
Expect SPOILERS from about 48 minutes in until the end.
Mongol stars Tanobu Asano, Sun Honglei, and Khulan Chuluun.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
You can listen to the episode of Media-eval: A Medieval Pop Culture Podcast that Ally guested on here: www.podchaser.com/podcasts/media-eval-a-medieval-pop-cult-754405/episodes/vikings-season-1-47983231
If you like talking about medieval stuff, you may want to pay a visit to the Media-eval Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/1117991018383250
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at:
https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/
Or: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1cXWmfhuDWyfKfsYADk96F
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: https://ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Thursday Apr 02, 2020
Thursday Apr 02, 2020
Jonny Tickle, Moscow resident and YouTuber, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this meandering, mysterious walk through Russian history and Saint Petersberg's Hermitage Museum, filmed in a single continuous take.
Listeners in the UK can buy Alexander Sokurov: Russian Ark by Birgit Beumers via our uk.bookshop.org affiliate link. 10% of the sale will go towards covering the costs of running the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops. Visit our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here!
Expect SPOILERS from about 38 minutes in until the end.
Russian Ark stars Sergei Dreiden.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: https://ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Find Jonny Tickle on Twitter at: @jonnytickle
Visit Jonny's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKvzrcnSazCp5gYNbEaFHyg
Aleksandr Sokurov, Russian Ark by Birgit Beumers: hwww.intellectbooks.com/aleksandr-sokurov
Publish with Intellect Books: www.intellectbooks.com/why-publish-with-us
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at:
https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/
Or: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1cXWmfhuDWyfKfsYADk96F
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Thursday Feb 13, 2020
Thursday Feb 13, 2020
Carrie joins Ally once again, this time to discuss a fantastical rom-com in which Sasha (Anna Starshenbaum), a student, meets Serafim (Artur Smolyaninov), a celestial visitor in Moscow on New Year's Eve.
CONTENT WARNING: As we discuss in this episode, this film contains extreme racial insensitivity and also outright racism.
Expect SPOILERS from about 17 minutes until the end.
My Boyfriend is an Angel also stars Olga Popova, Nikita Efremov, Sergey Puskepalis, Ivan Makarevich,
The show's intro music is by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at:
https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/
Or: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1cXWmfhuDWyfKfsYADk96F
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: https://ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Thursday Jan 09, 2020
Thursday Jan 09, 2020
Michele Berdy, Moscow Times columnist, translator, and The Word's Worth podcast host, joins Ally to discuss this Brezhnev-era rom-com starring Alisa Freyndlikh and Andrei Myagkov.
Listeners in the UK can buy The Russian Word's Worth by Michele Berdy via our uk.bookshop.org affiliate link. 10% of the sale will go towards covering the running costs of the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops. Visit our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here!
Expect SPOILERS from about 42 minutes in until the end.
Office Romance also stars Oleg Basilashvili, Svetlana Nemolyaeva, and Liya Akhedzhakova.
Listen to Michele Berdy's The Word's Worth at: http://wordsworth.themoscowtimes.com/
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: https://ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Thursday Dec 05, 2019
Thursday Dec 05, 2019
Martin Kessler, filmmaker and Flixwise: Canada host, returns to discuss this Russian Civil War set proto-action film. It has the dubious distinction of being one of Joseph Stalin's favourite movies, and it stars Boris Babochkin as the eponymous Red Army commander.
Listeners in the UK can buy Chapaev by Julian Graffy from Bloomsbury Books, via our uk.bookshop.org affiliate link. 10% of the sale will go towards covering the costs of running the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops! Visit our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here!
CONTENT WARNING:
The film briefly depicts a sexual assault (it is not framed as such, but certainly reads that way to modern audiences). Ally and Martin didn't actually discuss this scene in the episode, however.
Expect SPOILERS from about 39 minutes in until the end.
Hear more of Martin on Flixwise: Canada: http://flixwise.com/category/episodes/flixwise-canada/
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: https://ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Thursday Nov 07, 2019
Thursday Nov 07, 2019
Lyn Seren, veteran of the podcast and possible 6th Element, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this slightly Cold War-flavoured espionage/action film
Expect SPOILERS from about 19 minutes in until the end.
CONTENT WARNING: the film includes depictions of an abusive relationship, self-harm, and suicidal behaviour.
Anna stars Sasha Luss, Helen Mirren, Cillian Murphy, Luke Evans, and Lera Abova.
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: https://ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at:
https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/
Or: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1cXWmfhuDWyfKfsYADk96F
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
Carrie Pitts, Russian language and literature graduate, joins Ally again as World War II casts its long shadow over the podcast once more.
Expect SPOILERS from about 12 minutes in until the end.
Sunflower stars Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, and Ludmila Savelyeva.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Thursday Sep 05, 2019
Thursday Sep 05, 2019
Lyn Seren, occasional watcher of Russian films, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this tense thriller set in the Russian arctic.
Expect SPOILERS from about 18 minutes in until the end.
CONTENT WARNING: the film discussed in this episode contains an off-screen suicide , extremely brief nudity, and violence. This content is mentioned during the show.
How I Ended This Summer stars Grigory Dobrygin and Sergey Puskepalis.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
Check out Caroline's bass covers of Kino songs over at her YouTube channel.
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Thursday Aug 01, 2019
Thursday Aug 01, 2019
Alissa Timoshkina, chef, KinoVino supper club founder, and author of Salt and Time: Recipes from a Russian Kitchen joins Ally Pitts to discuss this somewhat notorious drama from the late 1980s glastnost period a few years before the Soviet Union collapsed.
Listeners in the UK can buy Salt and Time via our uk.bookshop.org affiliate link. 10% of the sale will go towards covering cost of running the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops. Visit our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here!
Expect SPOILERS from about 55 minutes in until the end.
CONTENT WARNING: During the film it is revealed that one of the characters had a sexual relationship with an adult when they were 15 or 16 years old. There is also a fairly explicit sex scene.
Little Vera stars Natalya Negoda, Andrey Sokolov, Yuri Nazarov, Lyudmila Zaytseva, and Alexandra Tabakova.
Check out Alissa's amazing culinary creations at: www.instagram.com/borsch_and_no_tears/
Listen to her podcast MotherFood: www.podchaser.com/podcasts/motherfood-1073298
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Thursday Jul 04, 2019
Thursday Jul 04, 2019
Sasha Ilyukevich, London-based Belarusian singer-songwriter and poet, joins Ally Pitts for this harrowing journey into Nazi-occupied Belarus in 1943, which stars Aleksey Kravchenko and Olga Mironova.
CONTENT WARNING: Come and See contains sustained depictions of atrocities, including rape and mass murder. It's a very, very tough watch. SPOILERS from about 49 minutes in until the end.
You can watch the film at Russian Hub.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
Thursday Jun 06, 2019
Thursday Jun 06, 2019
Jenny Shelton, writer and period drama drama connoisseur, and Carrie Pitts. Russian language & literature graduate join Ally Pitts to discuss this adaptation of Alexander Pushkin's famous verse novel.
SPOILERS from about 28 minutes onwards.
CONTENT WARNING: the film contains very brief but fairly graphic violence.
Onegin stars Ralph Fiennes, Liv Tyler, Toby Stephens, and Lena Headey.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast
Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite
The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants.
You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify.
If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that:
Twitter: @RussophilesU
Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/
Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI