Montage documentary by Sergei Selyanov, based on an article by Kovalov in which he proposed a new approach to the history of Soviet film. In the twenties and thirties, when Communist Internationalism officially ruled the roost, Kovalov argues that film was dominated by 'the Russian idea'; Communism was more inculcated with a Russian messianic ideology than with Marxism. By quoting in a specific way from well-known films by Eisenstein, Pudovkin and Vertov, Kovalov and Selyanov expose unexpected ideas in these films. This way they reveal the tragic ambivalence of a phenomenon that many of their contemporaries just labelled 'totalitarian cinema' and also show how the film-makers themselves fell victim to the all-consuming 'Russian idea'.
- Directors
- Sergey Selyanov, Sergei Seljanov
- Countries of production
- Russia, United Kingdom
- Year
- 1996
- Festival Edition
- IFFR 1997
- Length
- 52'
- Medium
- Betacam SP PAL
- International title
- The Russian Idea
- Languages
- Russian, English
- Producer
- STW Film Company
- Sales
- BFI British Film Institute
- Screenplay
- Oleg Kovalov