ON Thursday, April 14 at 7.30pm, Crediton Arts Centre will be hosting a special screening of the classic Ukrainian film “Earth”, made in 1930 by legendary director Alexander Dovzhenko.

The film with be accompanied by a live improvised soundtrack from local musicians Philip Robinson, James Cookson and Paul Whittall.

“Earth” is a 1930 Soviet-era silent film concerning the process of collectivisation and the hostility of kulak landowners under the First Five-Year Plan.

The screenplay was inspired by Dovzhenko’s life and experience of the process of collectivisation in his native Ukraine.

That process, which was the backdrop of the film and its production, informed its reception in the Soviet Union, which was largely negative. The film was released on April 8, 1930 and was banned by Soviet authorities nine days later.

“Earth” is commonly regarded as Dovzhenko’s masterpiece and regularly appears alongside Bicycle Thieves, Seven Samurai, Battleship Potemkin and Citizen Kane in lists of the greatest artistic achievements in cinematic history.

The original negative for the film was destroyed by a German air-raid in the First Battle of Kyiv during Operation Barbarossa in 1941, but a copy was restored by the Ukrainian State film archive in 2012.

This is a rare opportunity to see a cinematic milestone in a unique environment and contribute to the effort to help the people of Ukraine. There is no charge for entry, but donations for the DEC Ukraine Appeal will be welcomed.