During the New Year holidays, audiences in Moscow and St. Petersburg will enjoy a vibrant film program that blends music, biographical storytelling, and classic cinema. In St. Petersburg, theaters will stage a cultural marathon featuring Jacques Demy’s luminous musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Leos Carax’s bold Annette, and Lars von Trier’s contemplative Dancing in the Dark. The program offers a broad spectrum of musical cinema, moving from exuberant operatic joy to intimate, thoughtful explorations of art, fame, and the human encounter with sound.
Meanwhile, the curators at KARO.Art are shaping a January program centered on musical cinema, with a focus on life stories of musicians and the imaginative worlds created by diverse directors. From January 2 to 8, KARO cinema networks in Moscow and St. Petersburg will present a curated itinerary that blends experimental musical short and feature works with traditional musical biopics. The initiative seeks to illuminate how filmmakers translate rhythm, timbre, and performance into images that linger with viewers long after the credits roll.
Beyond the feature films, audiences will encounter documentary portraits that offer intimate looks at significant performers. Among the offerings is a new documentary about Judy, crafted by Rupert Gould, drawing on perspectives inspired by Renee Zellweger’s celebrated portrayal, and a thoughtful examination of the late hip-hop artist Lil Peep, whose enduring influence continues to spark conversations about genre, generation, and image in music culture. These portraits accompany the narrative features, expanding the program into a richer, more personal conversation about artistry and identity.
Earlier announcements have suggested that a musical adaptation inspired by Black Swan is in development, signaling that the intersection of music, performance, and psychological drama remains a fertile ground for contemporary cinema. The evolving lineup underscores the region’s commitment to presenting films where music acts not only as a backdrop but as a driving force that shapes character, narrative tension, and visual storytelling. Attendees can expect programs that invite discussion about how directors harness musical form—whether through exuberant song-and-dance sequences or the more somber cadences of inner life—to convey emotion and meaning on screen. The programming aims to nurture dialogue about technique, mood, and the ways rhythm informs cinematic pacing and character development. [citation needed] For fans and newcomers alike, these screenings promise a chance to experience cinema as a living art form where sound and image fuse to tell enduring human stories.