About the show
DDT XX CENTURY, UK PREMIERE. FILM SCREENING AND Q&A WITH DIRECTOR SERGEI KUZNETSOV
On 19 November, London will host a special screening of DDT XX Century, an ambitious independent film by director Sergei Kuznetsov, built around the songs of Yuri Shevchuk and DDT.
DDT is one of the most significant bands in Russian rock, while its founder, songwriter and frontman Yuri Shevchuk has long been regarded as one of the country’s most distinctive anti-establishment voices. His songs have repeatedly explored war, society, personal responsibility and the relationship between the individual and the state.
The film tells the story of twentieth-century Russia – from the First World War to the collapse of the Soviet Union – through the fate of one family and some of DDT’s defining songs. Characters from the songs come to life on screen, while dramatic scenes are interwoven with documentary footage, rare archival material and animation. Each chapter has its own distinctive visual language.
Kuznetsov describes the film as a journey “from Malevich’s Black Square to DDT’s Black Dog Petersburg”. More than a music film, it is an attempt to understand a country through its history, cultural memory, personal and collective responsibility, and the experience of several generations. Yuri Shevchuk himself says that the film is not so much about DDT, or about him personally, as it is about Russia – its people, its history and its contradictions.
The screening will be followed by an open Q&A with director Sergei Kuznetsov, who will discuss the making of the film and his work with Yuri Shevchuk.
Date: 19 November 2026
Guest arrival: from 7:30pm
Screening starts: 8:00pm
Total event duration: approximately 2 hours
Language: Russian with English subtitles
Premium ticket includes: a commemorative poster from the screening, an autograph and photo session with the director after the Q&A.
Age rating: provisionally 15+; final classification to be confirmed by the BBFC
Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable, except in the event of cancellation or rescheduling
PRINCIPAL PARTNER OF THE UK & IRELAND SCREENINGS: ROOTS LAW
