Introduction to Russian Cinema 1

On completion of the course, students shall be able to:

• demonstrate basic knowledge of the main periods of Russian film history from the 1900s through the 1970s
• discuss a selection of Russian films, their historical meaning and their cultural influence on Russian cinema during different periods
• discuss how main epochs of Russian and Soviet history are reflected in Russian cinema
• describe major names and genres from Russian cinema during different periods.

The course discusses the most important works in Russian cinema from the 1900s through the 1970s in relation to changes in society. The periods covered are the pre-revolutionary years, the first years of the Soviet Union, Khrushchev‘s Thaw and the Stagnation. Selected films are discussed from cultural, historical and ideological points of view. The course highlights and discusses how Russian cinema, during certain historical periods, worked as a propaganda tool and how Russian film producers tried to convey their own messages between the lines.

Continuous assessment of active participation in seminars and a final paper.

The Swedish grades U–VG.

To achieve the grade of VG for the whole course, students must achieve VG in module 1.

Reporting of grades:
Module 1: Active Participation in Seminars - 7.5 cr
Module 2: Paper - 2.5 cr