Why a silent film from 1929 Soviet Union is playing Friday at The Temple in Salina

The Temple in Salina will take a look back in time for one night this week as it shows a 1920s-era silent film Friday.

Released just two years after construction was completed on the historic Masonic Temple, "Man with a Movie Camera" is a 1929 Soviet silent film by Dziga Vertov that will be shown at 7 p.m. May 24 in the historic third floor theater at the Temple, 336 S. Santa Fe Ave.

This isn't the first time the Temple has hosted a film for the public, but according to Mary Landes, executive director of the Temple, it has been a few years since it last did.

"In 2019 ... we did a Day of the Dead (event) and we showed the Pixar movie 'Coco,'" Landes said. "We don't (show movies) a lot. This time is more about just making people aware of the theater (as a place to host things)."

Why is the Temple showing this silent film?

Landes said the idea of showing this film comes from Salina independent filmmaker Isaiah Marcotte, whose studio is located in the Temple.

"Isaiah wanted to do this for us as a fundraiser," Landes said. "It really sounded like a unique project. He's been wanting to show this movie for a long time (as) it's in the public domain. He just thought it would be cool to show it in a 1920s theater."

The film is described as part documentary, part narrative, as it follows a city in the 1920s Soviet Union from morning to night. It will be accompanied during this showing by a selected soundtrack.

"(This movie contains) a variety of complex and innovative camera shots, the film depicts scenes of ordinary daily life in Russia," the Temple said in its announcement for the event. "Vertov celebrates the modernity of the city, with its vast buildings, dense population and bustling industries. While there are no titles or narration, Vertov still naturally conveys the marvels of the modern city."

Marcotte will introduce the film and lead a discussion with attendees with admission to the showing a $5 donation, with the proceeds going to help repurpose the Temple building.

"Our biggest challenge right now is that our elevators are (from the) 1920s," Landes said. "We're in a capital campaign right now to raise money to retrofit the elevators. We'll keep the historic cars, but we'll have brand new elevators that we can move a lot of people up there (to the theater)."

Landes said another need for the Temple is getting air conditioning in that theater, which will open it up for a lot more events in the future.

This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Salina's Temple showing a silent film from 1929 Soviet Union on Friday