A brief history of domestic documentaries. Russian documentaries

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The history of Russian cinema began with the experiences of former photojournalists who mastered camera work. The first tape was the painting "Ponizovaya Freemen" ("Stenka Razin"), created in 1908. Over time, Russian cinematography gained color and “spoke”, largely due to the efforts of Nikolai Ekk, who filmed “A Start in Life” in 1931, and then “Grunya Kornakov” in 1936.

Modern Russian documentaries can be seen at film festivals. "Message to Man" is held in St. Petersburg, "Flahertiana" - in Perm, "Vertical", "Laurel Branch", "Artdocfest", "Free Thought" - in Moscow. Major news agencies and individual filmmakers make documentaries expressing their views on contemporary issues or individual historical issues.

Milestones of documentaries in Russia

In Soviet times, documentaries were an excellent tool in the hands of communist propaganda leaders. motion pictures servedstate interests, but some talented directors managed to create films that were included in the fund of international documentary film art. The following works should be noted:

• Mikhail Romm - "Ordinary fascism".
• Leva Kuleshov - "Forty Hearts".
• Roman Karmena - feature documentary "Vietnam", "Cuba Today", "Unknown War", "The Great Patriotic War. Allies” and so on.
• Konstantina Kereselidze - "Hunting without a gun" and a series of paintings about Georgia.

Kinoperiodika for a long time was represented by the weekly magazine "Soviet Cinema", which was assembled from the most relevant contemporary events. In the Union republics and individual regions, their own film magazines were published, reminiscent of the modern News of the Day. Documentary feature stories were devoted to significant events: "The Shakhty Trial", "Gorky's Arrival", "The Fifteenth Party Congress", "The All-Union Physical Education Festival", "The Signing of the Soviet-Persian Treaty" and others.

Best Russian documentaries

Modern films of domestic production, created in this genre, are of interest not only to compatriots. The following Russian documentaries can boast of a high rating in the IMDB database:

1. "The Last Hero". The poignant story of Russian rock legend Viktor Tsoi, who passed away too early. Director - Alexey Uchitel, KinoPoisk rating - 7, 7, IMDB rating - 7, 3 (1992).
2. “Oleg Tabakov. Lighting the Stars. It is not simplea story about the life of a beloved artist, but also about how he helped talented talents build a career (2010).
3. "No problem." A film by an aspiring director Taisiya Reshetnikova. Work in the interview format: several different young people and girls in front of the camera talk about their problems and dreams (2012).
4. "Prelude for Childhood with Orchestra". The picture was shot by the creative studio "Yeralash". Boris Grachevsky and the young director Vasily Korvyakov thought about how to introduce children to high art, and set up an interesting experiment.
5. "Musician". A documentary about Denis Matsuev, who at the age of 23 gained worldwide fame. Directed by Anna Matison (2011).

The list of Russian documentaries is very extensive. Every year there are several new works of both talented novice directors and recognized masters. Of the relatively new and most resonant, it is worth highlighting the documentary "President" (2015) by Vladimir Solovyov. The film tells about fifteen years of Vladimir Putin's presidency. And another film - "Crimea. The Way to the Motherland” by Andrey Kondrashov (2015), caused a mixed reaction from the international community.

Russian documentaries about the war

The Patriotic War left bleeding wounds and deep scars that do not let us forget about the feat of the Soviet people in the fight against the invaders. Russian documentaries on this topic are presented by the following works:

1. "On parole and one wing."
2. "Berlin on the 21st. The strongest flew in.”
3. "Laboratory of death. Japanese Apocalypse.”
4. "Feeling war".
5. “Amet-Khan Sultan. Thunderstorm "Messers".
6. "Red flag over Chisinau".
7. "War. The first four hours.”

It is especially interesting to watch old war documentaries as they are much more emotional than modern ones.