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Kryshtalevyi Palats

Crystal Palace
Berlinale Classics 2026
Source: Fixafilm
In a totalitarian state, pacifist artist Martin Bruno is commissioned to sculpt a statue of Christ for the city’s cathedral. When it is unveiled, a scandal erupts. An indignant official destroys the sculpture and accuses Bruno of communist provocation. When the artist goes to explain himself, he discovers the dead body of the official in his office. Bruno is arrested. He is threatened with the death penalty.
As one of the first Ukrainian sound films, Crystal Palace was influenced by German expressionist film and the avant-garde movement at home. Shortly after its premiere, the film was withdrawn from circulation. The restoration was undertaken from a digital scan of the film held by Amherst College and concentrated on removing scratches and dirt, as well as frame stabilisation and jitter correction. Small imperfections common to old 35mm films were digitally corrected. The original grain and texture of the film were preserved in order to lend the restoration authenticity.

Trailer/Film Excerpt

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by Hryhori Hrycher (Director, Screenplay), Leo Mur (Screenplay)
with Irina Volodko, Stepan Shahaida, Gavriil Terekhov, Pavlo Kyiansky, Terenti Yura, M. Hermanovych, Yakiv Vurmansky, Yevhen Kokhanenko, Hryhori Hrycher, Semen Hrabin USSR / Ukrainian SSR 1934 Ukrainian 89' Black/White World premiere of the digitally restored version

With

  • Irina Volodko
  • Stepan Shahaida
  • Gavriil Terekhov
  • Pavlo Kyiansky
  • Terenti Yura
  • M. Hermanovych
  • Yakiv Vurmansky
  • Yevhen Kokhanenko
  • Hryhori Hrycher
  • Semen Hrabin

Crew

Director Hryhori Hrycher
Screenplay Leo Mur, Hryhori Hrycher
Cinematography Yuri Yekelchyk
Music Borys Lyatoshynsky, Ihor Belza
Sound Design Oleksandr Babiy
Production Design Morits Umansky

Additional information

DCP: Fixafilm, Warsaw

Photos