Beginning of an Unknown Era

An omnibus film to rival the power and beauty of classic Soviet silent cinema, Unknown Era was made to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It was still shelved for almost 20 years, as its unsentimental depiction of the early days of the Bolshevik regime was considered negative. Shepitko’s segment, Homeland of Electricity, recounts a young engineer’s efforts to introduce electric power to a famine-stricken village. (Independent Cinema Office)