In Memory of Sergo Ordzhonikidze

Overview

In Memory of Sergo Ordzhonikidze is a 1937 Soviet documentary directed by Dziga Vertov. Created in memory of Sergo Ordzhonikidze, who died that year, the film is a memorial work as well as a document of its historical moment. Its title makes that commemorative purpose explicit, while the available details place it within Vertov’s documentary filmography and the Soviet Union of the 1930s.

The film runs 55 minutes and is in Russian. Those details make it a substantial feature-length choice for viewers exploring classic documentary cinema, Vertov’s work, or Soviet film history. The description establishes its subject and context, but does not provide a scene-by-scene account or explain the film’s methods. Viewers can therefore approach it with a clear sense of its memorial focus without expecting a particular account of its form from the title alone.

Key features

• Director: Dziga Vertov.
• Release year: 1937.
• Country: Soviet Union.
• Language: Russian.
• Runtime: 55 minutes.
• Subject: A film made in memory of Sergo Ordzhonikidze, who died in 1937.

These facts give the film a focused place in a viewing plan: it connects a specific act of remembrance with a named director and a particular national and historical setting. The runtime is long enough to merit a dedicated viewing, while still fitting into a lesson or screening block centered on an individual documentary rather than a series.

Who it's for

This documentary may suit viewers building a survey of Dziga Vertov’s films, students examining Soviet documentary cinema, and teachers looking for a work with a clearly stated commemorative purpose. Its concise historical frame can support discussion of how documentary film relates to public memory, though the available description does not specify the film’s arguments or visual approach.

It is also a reasonable option for viewers interested in classic documentaries from the 1930s. The Russian-language presentation is an important consideration for classroom use or personal viewing; the details here do not state whether subtitles are available.

Alternatives

For more from the same director, browse Documentaries by Dziga Vertov. Viewers looking across the broader historical category can also explore Classic documentaries.

Other Vertov titles in the directory include Lullaby, Three Songs of Lenin, Enthusiasm, and Man with a Movie Camera. Further options are A Sixth Part of the World, Stride, Soviet!, Kino-Eye, and Give Us Air!. These are useful starting points for exploring the director’s broader body of work, although no additional details about their subjects or styles are provided here.

Verdict

In Memory of Sergo Ordzhonikidze is a historically specific memorial documentary: a 55-minute Russian-language film by Dziga Vertov, made in 1937 in the Soviet Union to commemorate Ordzhonikidze after his death that year. That firm context is its clearest point of interest for documentary fans, students, and educators. The known facts are limited, so viewers seeking detailed guidance about its structure, imagery, or availability will need information beyond this description. For a focused entry into Vertov’s 1937 documentary work and its commemorative setting, it offers a direct subject and a clear place in film history.