Live piano score to Vertov's Man with a Movie Camera (1929) performed by composer Taras Luka at INSTITUT, St. Volodymyr Institute.
EXCLUSIVE LIVE CINEMA CONCERT
Ukrainian-Canadian composer and pianist Taras Luka performs an original piano score LIVE to the iconic Ukrainian avant-garde film Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov, 1929). It'll be the first in a series of exclusive and immersive live soundtrack experiences happening this summer at the St Volodymyr Institute's new underground speak-easy lounge INSTITUT (620 Spadina Ave.)The film was produced in Ukraine by All-Ukrainian Photo Cinema Administration (VUFKU) and filmed in Kyiv, Odesa, and Kharkiv, capturing the rhythm of modern city life through groundbreaking cinematic techniques.In the Sight & Sound critics’ poll, it was ranked among the top ten greatest films of all time and later named the greatest documentary film ever made.Created without actors, costumes, sets, or a traditional script, the film captures a single day in the life of a modern city. Vertov documents urban life through pure cinematic form, transforming everyday reality into a dynamic visual symphony through radical editing, rhythmic montage, and bold visual experimentation.During the screening, Luka performs the score live on stage, transforming the film into a powerful immersive audiovisual experience where music and image unfold together in real time.***Taras Luka is an award-winning composer with an international career across Europe and North America, known for his work in theatre, film, and large-scale concert productions. His work “Choral of Freedom” world premiered at Teatro Comunale di Bologna and Teatro Verdi (Italy) under conductor Oksana Lyniv as part of the international Concerto per la Pace initiative with the Italian Red Cross.Taras is the composer of major theatrical and musical productions, including Romeo & Juliet, Heart in Half, Buka, and In Captivity. His works have received national recognition in Ukraine
Man with a Movie Camera remains highly popular across Europe and is regularly screened by major institutions such as the British Film Institute, the British Council, and the Ukrainian Institute—highlighting its lasting influence on European film culture. screened by major institutions such as the British Film Institute, the British Council, and the Ukrainian Institute—highlighting its lasting influence on European film culture.