This mesmerizing documentary from Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa assembles unique, mostly unseen archival footage that presents the funeral of Joseph Stalin. The news of Stalin’s death on March 5, 1953, shocked the entire Soviet Union and his burial ceremony was attended by tens of thousands of mourners. The film observes every stage of the spectacle, described by Pravda newspaper as “the Great Farewell,” offering unprecedented access to the dramatic and absurd experience of life and death under Stalin.

Read more about State Funeral via The Guardian and The New Yorker.

Stream with a subscription to Mubi or attend an in-person screening at select theaters, including the Laemmle Royal in Santa Monica.

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Virtual Film Picks are inspired by the in-person Friday Night Films at the Wende program series. This selection is part of a curated list of weekly movie suggestions that can be watched at home, in conjunction with #WendeOnline.