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State Funeral

Play trailer 1:31 Poster for State Funeral Released May 7, 2021 2h 15m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Mourners flock to Moscow's Red Square to attend Josef Stalin's funeral.
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State Funeral

State Funeral

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Critics Consensus

If State Funeral risks repetitiveness in its patient approach, the glimpse of history it offers remains a fascinating -- and frightening -- look at life under a totalitarian regime.

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Critics Reviews

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Jay Weissberg Variety Both as film and as history, "State Funeral" stands as a canonical work. May 29, 2021 Full Review Robert Abele Los Angeles Times In the loony seriousness of it all, "State Funeral" isn't spectator sport - it makes us active observers of a scary machinery, something to file away. May 29, 2021 Full Review Tara Brady Irish Times A found-footage documentary that captures life in thrilling, painstaking detail in the hours and days after Stalin's death. Rated: 4/5 May 21, 2021 Full Review Erick Estrada Cinegarage State Funeral broaches the fear and the massive mistakes Russians allowed in the Stalinist regime, but it reflects upon a world where tyranny is forgiven for the same reasons: a structure of convenience and money. [Full review in Spanish] Jul 27, 2022 Full Review Agustín Acevedo Kanopa La Diaria Loznitsa redoubles reality because not only does he reincorporate real images (with impeccable colorization and sound editing work), but he orders and edits them as the person in charge of filming that state funeral would have edited them. Rated: 3.5/5 Mar 30, 2022 Full Review Filipe Freitas Always Good Movies Packed with the faces of consternation and tears of despair, State Funeral is both remarkable and tedious. Rated: 3.5/5 Jul 23, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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william d I found this film fascinating, albeit too long (how much footage of people carrying funeral wreaths do we really need to see anyway?) The film truly conveys what it was like in the Soviet Union immediately following Stalin's death. Despite the murder of more than 25 million of their fellow citizens the look of grief on the faces of the people appears genuine, proving the effectiveness of Soviet propaganda. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
State Funeral

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Cast & Crew

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Sergei Loznitsa

Director

Sergei Loznitsa

Writer

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State Funeral

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State Funeral

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Movie Info

Synopsis Mourners flock to Moscow's Red Square to attend Josef Stalin's funeral.
Director
Sergei Loznitsa
Screenwriter
Sergei Loznitsa
Distributor
MUBI
Production Co
Atoms & Void
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
Russian
Release Date (Theaters)
May 7, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 21, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA)
$12.4K
Runtime
2h 15m
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