Imperium / 2026
SYNOPSIS
IMPERIUM is a striking visual journey through the vast expanse of the
Soviet Union, built entirely from long-forgotten archival footage shot
between 1970 and 1973 by Italian filmmakers. From Arctic shores to
Central Asian deserts, from the Carpathians to the Pacific, the film reveals
a rich tapestry of cultures the Soviet state sought to standardize.
Beginning in Moscow and gradually approaching remote villages where
centuries-old traditions still thrived, exposing the decreasing weight
of centralized power. Without voice-over or commentary, the images
themselves reveal a profound paradox: an empire projecting unity while
ruling over profoundly heterogeneous worlds.
Through these rare, unfiltered glimpses of daily life, IMPERIUM uncovers
the often-hidden colonial dynamics of the USSR and the quiet resilience
of its many peoples. More than a historical document, the film becomes a
lens through which to understand the fractures and geopolitical tensions
that continue to resonate across the former Soviet space today.