Donbas on Screen. Enthusiasm: The Symphony of Donbas | UFFB '26

Documentary by Dziga Vertov, 1930 | 65 min. Ukrainian Film Festival Berlin (UFFB) 2026 presents: Donbas on Screen: Enthusiasm: The Symphony of Donbas | Documentary Ukrainian SSR | 65 min. Original title: Ентузіязм: Симфонія Донбасу Directed by: Dziga Vertov An audiovisual symphony capturing the industrial, agricultural, and cultural life of the Donbas region during the first Soviet Five-Year Plan. The film places a strong emphasis on anti-religious campaigns, propaganda marches, and physical culture of the era. It stands as the first sound film in Ukrainian cinema history. From the very beginning of his career in cinema, Dziga Vertov eagerly anticipated the arrival of sound, which he believed would bring cinema closer to reality and "truth." The leader of the Kinoks believed in the possibility of noise-based music in film—not just "visual" music—and was convinced that future movies would allow audiences not only to see and hear, but also to smell and physically touch facts. In Enthusiasm, Vertov was tasked with portraying "the monumental growth of the Donbas, its extraordinary pace of industrialization amidst the continuous roar of machinery, iron and coal dust, and eternal, unquenchable flames." * * * Part of Donbas on Screen: Rethinking History, Memory, and War The screening will feature an introductory talk and discussion led by film expert Anna Onufriienko and external moderator, highlighting the historical context, film language, and contemporary significance of the works. Anna Onufriienko is a cultural studies researcher, film historian, and curator specializing in Soviet cinema, visual propaganda, and cinematic representations of the Donbas region. From 2014 to 2022, she served as a film critic and programmer at the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre, co-curating major retrospective projects like VUFKU. Lost & Found. Her work on Soviet and industrial media history includes co-editing the book Cinematographic Revision of Donbas (2015, 2018), co-editing the DVD set Chornobyl [in]Visible (2017), and co-directing the montage film project Atomopolis. Assembling Utopia (2016). * * * More info: https://uffberlin.de/uffb2026/donbas-on-screen-enthusiasm/ All descriptions and materials presented above are provided by the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre (Dovzhenko Centre), a partner of these screenings. WHERE AND WHEN? 16.10.2026, 18:30 Kino & Bar in der Königstadt Straßburger Str. 55 10405 Berlin