Sergei Eisenstein's ¡Que viva México!
Featuring the only film Sergei Eisenstein completed during his time in Mexico, this trio of shorts focuses on such events as an earthquake’s aftermath and Día de Los Muertos.
El Desastre en Oaxaca (The Disaster in Oaxaca) (Mexico, 1931): A film made by Sergei Eisenstein in 1931 that documents the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake in the city of Oaxaca de Juárez. Print courtesy of UNAM’s Filmoteca Collection. [12 min; documentary; silent with Spanish intertitles]
Death Day (USA, 1934): A film about Día de Muertos festivities made from footage shot for Eisenstein’s ¡Que viva México!, as edited by Carl Himm for producer Sol Lesser. Print courtesy of Canyon Cinema Foundation. [16 min; documentary; silent with English intertitles]
Time in the Sun (USA, 1940): A film produced by Eisenstein’s biographer Marie Seton, based upon his rough scenario and using footage shot for ¡Que viva México!, edited by Paul Burnford. Print courtesy of IU Libraries Moving Image Archive. [55 min; documentary; English]
This screening will include an extended introduction by Jeffrey Saletnik (IU Dept. of Art History). Before the screening, you can also join the Art History Department for a lecture by Dustin Condren (University of Oklahoma) at 5:30pm at the Eskenazi Museum of Art in the Patrick and Jane Martin Commons.
IU Cinema offers audience advisory resources for our patrons to determine their own content intake. However, this is a rare film, and available information is difficult to come by. As such, be advised that this film contains depictions of bodily harm to people and/or animals and partial nudity.
