Open ClassicCINEMA
Back to the collection

OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 690

Aelita

1924113 minSoviet Union
Science fictionFantasyDrama

Synopsis

In postwar Moscow, engineer Los becomes absorbed in a mysterious transmission and the possibility of travel to Mars. His fascination mixes with jealousy and the difficulties of everyday life. Visions of a distant queen and a rebellion among Martian workers turn the space adventure into an uncertain extension of his hopes and anxieties at home.

Watch the film ↓
Video edition
Wikimedia Commons
Original language
No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: Russian.
This copy runs
111:31
Subtitles
No subtitle track in this language

No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: Russian. No subtitle track in this language.

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · Directed by Yakov Protazanov (1881-1945), based on the novel by Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy · Public domain

Cast

DirectorsYakov Protazanov

Inspirations

The film adapts Alexei Tolstoy's novel, combining speculative travel with life in the early Soviet period.

Behind the scenes

The Martian world is especially associated with Constructivist design. Aleksandra Ekster's costumes and the geometric sets distinguish it sharply from the more familiar spaces of Moscow.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film referenceWikidata — film identity and credits

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 12, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

Audience rating

Loading ratings…

Keep exploring

Collection