Imperium

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 standardise. Beginning in Moscow and gradually approaching remote villages where centuries-old traditions still thrived, exposing the decreasing weight of centralised 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 More than a historical document, the film becomes a lens through which to understand the fractures and geopolitical tensions that continue to resonate across the former Soviet space today.