Over the Labor Day weekend, while Americans were enjoying picnics and barbecues to mark the end of summer, a different scene was unfolding in a theater in Kyiv, Ukraine. Nearly 200 viewers gathered there to watch a restored version of the 1942 classic Italian film “We the Living.” The film, directed by Goffredo Alessandrini and starring Italian film legends Alida Valli, Rossano Brazzi, and Fosco Giachetti, tells the story of how people’s lives are suffocated under totalitarianism. Originally released during World War II, it became the number-one box office movie in Italy that year.
The screening took place at Kyiv’s historic Zhovten Theater, which was ironically built by the Soviets in the 1930s. American restoration producer Duncan Scott, along with his associate producer and wife Barbara Scott, spent over two years meticulously restoring the 80-year-old film frame by frame. The result is the “We the Living—the 80th Anniversary Restoration,” completed just in time for the movie’s 1942 premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
Based on the debut novel by Russian American author Ayn Rand, the film chronicles life in post-revolutionary Russia and serves as Rand’s first statement against communism. It is also considered to be near to an autobiography of Rand’s life. According to Mr. Scott, the film is especially relevant to the Ukraine conflict as it shows young Ukrainians what life would be like under Russian domination. The screening was co-hosted by two Ukrainian organizations, the Bendukidze Free Market Center and the Ayn Rand Center Ukraine, and the funds raised will go toward helping their fellow countrymen fighting Russian forces.
The screening in Kyiv was the largest to date, attracting a mostly young audience who were moved by the film and its relevance to their lives. Previously, the restored film was shown in Italy, New York City, and Belgrade, Serbia. Mr. Scott expressed his interest in having the film shown in other parts of Ukraine as well.
The road to restoring the film began over 50 years ago for Mr. Scott. The film was banned by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, who was embarrassed by its anti-authoritarian message. The film materials were confiscated, but the real negatives were hidden in a basement until the end of the war. Decades later, the lost negatives were rediscovered, and the film was re-released. Erika and Henry Holzer, close associates of Ayn Rand, played a vital role in finding the hidden negatives and securing the film rights.
Although the film was made without Rand’s authorization, it accurately depicts her personal experiences and the message of her novel about a collective system denying people the right to live their own lives. Mr. Scott got involved with the film when he offered his editing services to the Holzers. With the removal of propaganda lines and the use of digital technology, the film was restored to its original state.
Now that the restoration is complete, Mr. Scott is working on distributing the film in multiple languages. Foreign-language versions, including one with Ukrainian subtitles, are being made. Mr. Scott feels honored to oversee the film and protect its legacy. He believes that the film resonates with liberty-oriented groups worldwide and holds particular relevance to the Ukraine conflict, as it illustrates the impact of Russian oppression throughout history.