House on the Volcano (Hamo Beknazarian, Soviet Armenia, 1928) + Live score mix

A new restoration of a neglected silent classic by Hamo Beknazarian, the founding father of Armenian cinema. This historical melodrama recounts the brutal suppression of an oil workers’ strike in pre-revolutionary Baku. Beknazarian’s mastery of the silent screen is on full display here, from the striking use of close-ups and densely-plotted narrative intrigue to the show-stopping devastation of the finale.Presented with a new score mixed and performed live by Juliet Merchant.

Samizdat is supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, and funded by Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI.

Accessibility

English subtitles

Financial support to attend the festival is available to eligible applicants via Samizdat's Access Fund.

Content notes: severe injury, violence, death, animal death.

Access notes: visual storytelling and intertitles throughout, black-and-white cinematography, flashing images.