78 episodes

History fan, cinephile, and former Moscow resident Ally Pitts from the UK explores the delights of Russian & Soviet cinema one film at a time! In the process, expert guests educate Ally on topics ranging from the Golden Age of Hollywood to Eastern European cuisine. Occasionally, the show also tackles non-Russian attempts to bring Russian literature or history to the Silver Screen.

A Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast with Ally Pitts Ally Pitts

    • TV & Film
    • 4.7 • 14 Ratings

History fan, cinephile, and former Moscow resident Ally Pitts from the UK explores the delights of Russian & Soviet cinema one film at a time! In the process, expert guests educate Ally on topics ranging from the Golden Age of Hollywood to Eastern European cuisine. Occasionally, the show also tackles non-Russian attempts to bring Russian literature or history to the Silver Screen.

    FEED TAKEOVER: Ally guests on Projection Booth episode on Amphibian Man (Vladimir Chebotaryov, Gennadi Kazansky; 1961)

    FEED TAKEOVER: Ally guests on Projection Booth episode on Amphibian Man (Vladimir Chebotaryov, Gennadi Kazansky; 1961)

    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
    Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

    • 1 hr 46 min
    EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Alissa Timoshkina in conversation with Catriona Kelly on Russian Food Since 1800

    EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Alissa Timoshkina in conversation with Catriona Kelly on Russian Food Since 1800

    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
     
     

    • 2 min
    Ally's top 5 first-time watches of 2023

    Ally's top 5 first-time watches of 2023

    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:
    - Ally's Letterboxd page
    - Get a 30-day free trial of MUBI
    - Ally's MUBI recommendations
    - Klassiki (there’s a free 7-day trial available via their website, and you can get 50% off an annual subscription, with the code RUPOD50)
    - The Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford
    - MK Horror's Facebook group
    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
    Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

    • 11 min
    NEWSFLASH: Tchaikovsky’s Wife (Kirill Serebrennikov; 2023) in UK cinemas Jan-Mar ’24

    NEWSFLASH: Tchaikovsky’s Wife (Kirill Serebrennikov; 2023) in UK cinemas Jan-Mar ’24

    Links mentioned in the episode:
    Cinemas screening Tchaikovsky's Wife (UK and Republic of Ireland): sovereignfilms.co.uk/tchaikovskyswife
    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
    Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

    • 4 min
    Some sad news

    Some sad news

    Probably not the best place to start if you're arriving at this feed for the first time.

    • 3 min
    MINI-REVIEW: Unclenching the Fists (Kira Kovalenko; 2021)

    MINI-REVIEW: Unclenching the Fists (Kira Kovalenko; 2021)

    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
    Listen to Ally's other podcast appearances on Podchaser

    • 11 min

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
14 Ratings

14 Ratings

Stewart Of Cardassia ,

A New World of Cinema

This is a fun and informative show highlighting a region and its film history that I had no prior knowledge of. Tune in for great dives into Russian cinema and prepare to be entertained!

Zach Eastman ,

Informative and Intriguing

An educated and passionate look into the cinema of a world that deserve exposure and dissection. Well put together and well executed in such a manner that you will find yourself looking into history that you may have relegated to the sidelines prior.

Duron playlist ,

👌🏻

So Kristaps will feel better

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