Behind the Monastery Wall
1928 · 0h 58m · Drama
This sounds like a genuinely gripping historical drama with real teeth—corrupt institutions, class struggle, and a family fighting back against systemic exploitation. The fact that it's a lost film adds intrigue, but that also means you'd need serious dedication to track it down; unless you're a film history buff or have easy access to restoration archives, SKIP tonight and save your energy for something readily available.
Plot
The old nunnery owns the best lands. Nuns rent out the land to local rich men, and exploiting peasants they have a wealthy life. The peasants live in misery. Especially, the family of the peasant named Levin. He is forced to give away his last horse, his son Andrii is imprisoned, his daughter Nastia becomes a maid of a rich landlord. Trying to prevent the master’s harassment, Nastia escapes and gets to the nunnery. She can see the other life of the nuns who manufacture false relics, drink alcohol and kill children. Nastia ends up in the basement for resisting one of the “spiritual pastors.” Meanwhile, her brother Andrii escapes from prison. He stirs up a rebellion and saves his sister. The film is lost.
Director: Pyotr Chardynin
Cast: Nina Li, Matvei Lyarov, Mykola Kuchynskyi, A. Ostashevsky, Morshchikova
