Experience the Soviet silent science-fiction classic alongside brand new soundtracks created by global sound art project Cities and Memory.
Widely regarded as the first Soviet blockbuster, Aelita: Queen of Mars (1924) is one of the earliest and most influential science fiction films ever made, predating Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and influencing generations of filmmakers, from Close Encounters of the Third Kind to Independence Day.
Loosely based on a 1923 novel by Alexei Tolstoy, the film is renowned for its extraordinary Constructivist sets and extravagant costumes, designed by Cubo-Futurist artist Aleksandra Ekster, a colleague of Pablo Picasso. Blending dystopian science fiction with Soviet propaganda, Aelita reflects the anxieties of its time, from the exploitation of workers on Mars to the hardships of life in 1920s Soviet Russia.
Cities and Memory, one of the world’s largest sound projects, with a community of more than 2,500 contributors, has worked with 60 sound artists and composers from around the world to create two entirely new soundtracks for Aelita. The film was divided into 30 chapters, each scored by two different artists, resulting in two distinct works: the “Earth” and “Mars” soundtracks. These screenings mark the first public performances of the new soundtracks, with a different soundtrack accompanying each screening.
Part of Utopia Now!, a season exploring the role of the arts in making a better future possible.
Plan your afternoon
Experience Aelita: Queen of Mars with two completely different soundtracks, or make an afternoon of it by attending both screenings and joining a panel discussion in between.
13:00–14:55 | Aelita: Queen of Mars – Earth soundtrack
15:30–16:30 | Panel Discussion: Aelita: Queen of Mars with Professor Polly Jones & guests
Between the screenings, Professor Polly Jones is joined by Stuart Fowkes of Cities and Memory and artists who contributed to the new soundtracks. Together, they explore Aelita, its place in the histories of Soviet cinema and science fiction, and the creative process behind the new soundtracks.
Find out more and book the panel discussion.
Book now
17:00–18:55 | Aelita: Queen of Mars – Mars soundtrack
Book both screenings to experience the same film in two completely different ways, with each soundtrack creating a distinct sonic world.
Please note: Each screening and the panel discussion must be booked separately.
