Russian Cinema

Russian cinema has a long and distinguished history. It began during the Russian Empire and continued during the period of Soviet communism. After the end of the Cold War, the film industry expanded and opened new creative opportunities. Today, Russian cinema is once again popular throughout Europe and North America. Some of these newer films include House of Fools, Night Watch and Brother. The three major periods of Russian cinema include: Cinema of the Russian Empire, Cinema of the Soviet Union and New Russian Cinema. Each of these periods marks a change in style and storytelling. These events continue to influence filmmakers in France, Italy and the United States.

Cinema of the Russian Empire

The Lumière brothers brought the first films of the Russian Empire to Moscow and St. Petersburg in 1896. A cameraman who worked with the brother also filmed the coronation of Nicholas II at the Kremlin. Another popular film was Stenka Razin, inspired by a popular folk song and directed by Vladimir Romashkov. At the same time, theaters became the main place to see films and promote new features. When the First World War began, cinema in Russia had a new viewpoint. Foreign films from Europe and Germany declined. Russian filmmakers began to produce anti-German or “patriotic” films that were part of the war effort. In 1916, Russia produced nearly 500 films and became a center for creative expression. However, Russian filmmakers were not allowed to film their own war footage, which came from France and England.

Cinema of the Soviet Union

Cinema in the Soviet Union was a major part of Russian communist culture and political propaganda. The most famous film of this early part of the Soviet Union was Battleship Potemkin by Sergei Eisenstein. The film is about a mutiny that happened in 1905 when shipmates on the Potemkin resisted the officers on board, who were of the Tsarist regime. Eisenstein was a very creative director whose work still influences filmmakers throughout Europe and the United States. But Soviet officials were unable to control Eisenstein, and critics believe Battleship Potemkin has multiple meanings.

After the death of Josef Stalin, there was an increase in creative expression in Soviet cinema. Ballad of a Soldier won the 1961 BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English Language. The film is about various forms of love during World War II, such as: the love of a young couple, the love of a married couple, and a mother’s love of her child. The film remains popular in both Russia and Europe as a symbol of humanity and independence.

New Russian Cinema

Today, there is widespread of creative freedom in Russia. Many filmmakers have reexamined Soviet history and produced critical stories about that period. The most famous of these films is Burnt by the Sun, which reviews the crimes of Stalin and the dangers of Soviet communism. This new period of filmmaking is open, original, and very artistic.