Name: Arsenal (English Subtitled) Director: Oleksandr Dovzhenko Studio: VUFKU (All-Ukrainian Photo Cinema Administration) Starring: Semyon Svashenko, Amvrosiy Buchma, Georgi Astafyev, Dmitriy Erdman, O. Merlatti Release Date: April 25, 1929 Runtime: 70 minutes (approx.) Format: Silent, Black-and-White, English Subtitles Country: Soviet Union (Ukraine) Language: Silent with Ukrainian intertitles / English-subtitled editions Genres: | Silent | War | Drama | Historical | Avant-garde | Propaganda | --- Summary: *Arsenal* depicts the 1918 workers’ uprising at the Kiev Arsenal during the Russian Civil War. The story follows Timosh, a disillusioned soldier returning from World War I, who embraces the revolutionary struggle against oppression. With a blend of stark realism and poetic symbolism, the film captures the chaos of war, the suffering of the working class, and the tension between nationalism and revolutionary ideals. --- Background: Directed by Oleksandr Dovzhenko, one of Soviet cinema’s most influential filmmakers, *Arsenal* is the second entry in his celebrated “Ukraine Trilogy.” Produced by VUFKU, the film combines political messaging with avant-garde cinematic techniques, including rapid montage, surrealist imagery, and symbolic tableaux. While serving as propaganda, it elevated Ukrainian and Soviet cinema on the world stage and remains a cornerstone of silent film history. --- Trivia: * The film includes one of the most famous surreal moments in silent cinema: a soldier who continues laughing after being shot in the head. * *Arsenal* was controversial for its unconventional style but is now considered one of Dovzhenko’s masterpieces. * Restored editions with English subtitles have been released for international audiences and are regularly screened at film festivals. * The film bridges documentary-like realism with dreamlike allegory, influencing later filmmakers worldwide. --- Hashtags: \#Arsenal1929 #OleksandrDovzhenko #SilentFilm #UkrainianCinema #SovietFilm #AvantGardeCinema #FilmHistory #UkraineTrilogy #ClassicCinema