Figure 1.--

In the Soviet Union there were at least 15 national movie studios, i.e. at least one per each Soviet respublic (Belarusfilm, Moldovafilm, Uzbekfilm, Gruziafilm and so on). Ukraine for example had more than one cinema studio (Ukrtelefilm, Dovjenko stuido, Odessa cinema stusio and so on). The most numerous, surely, were the studios in the Russian Republic which was the largest republic. There were several Russian studios famous throughout the Soviet Union (Mosfilm, Lenfilm, Ural cinema studio, Documental cinema studio and so on.) A Russian reader tells us that these studios and the producers and directors could freely use national languages for their movies. And they often did so. But any director who desired to achieve commercial success needed to make the film in Russian. This way it could be shown throughout the Soviet Union. Making the film in a Language like Lithuanian or Uzbek would significantly limit the audience to which it would appeal. Of course Russian captioning could be added, but suntitles did not have the same appeal a detracted from the dramatic impact. The situation was much as in America where movie goers generally want films to be in English. The nationalities question was a major issue from the early days of the Soviet Union. Any one promoting nationalist sentiments would draw the attention of the NKVD/KGB and could be very dangerous. They certainly would not be allowed to male movies. Many of these republic studios were established or allowed to make feature films only after World War II. They had to be very careful not to give the impression that they pushing a nationalist agenda. Today these studios are the foundation of the national film industries in each of the independent former-Soviet republics.

Lithuania

The Cinema Studio of Lithuania was the Soviet republic studio. It was established in 1956. This of course was the same year that the 20th Party Congress loosened Stalinist censorship. We do not know much about the studio. It like other republic studios was not precisely a Lituanian studio. There would have been Russians working at the studio as well as Lithuanians. We do not have much information on the studio at this time. We are not sure to what extent there was a Lithuanian influence beyond the people working on the film and cast. Nor do we know how many filns were made in the Lithuanian lanaguage. Of course to do so would have limited the box office appeal in the rest of the Societ Union. We note a film made by the studio--"Electronic Granny". It was based on a story by an American writer--Ray Bradbury. The only evidently Lithusanian influences are the pretty Baltic landscapes. Costuming is also sometimes a factor. We do know that many in the Baltics by the 1980s were increasingly influenced by nationalist thought.

Russia

The most numerous, surely, were the studios in the Russian Republic which was the largest republic. There were several Russian studios famous throughout the Soviet Union (Mosfilm, Lenfilm, Ural cinema studio, Documental cinema studio and so on.) These studios were important not only because the Russian Republic was the largest republic, but because Russian was the lengua-franca of the Soviet Union, meaning its work could be shown throughout the country. And Russian natiionalism was not as sensitive an issue as that of the other republics. This opened up sunject mater that was closed to film makers in the non-Russian republics.

Ukraine

The Ukraine had more than one cinema studio (Ukrtelefilm, Dovjenko stuido, Odessa cinema stusio and so on).

Uzbeckistan

Uzbek director Nazim Tulahodjayev made the Ray Bradbury story "There will come soft rains" into an animated film. The story was part of Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles". This cartoon won the prize "Gold Dove" at the international festival in Leipzig (DDR, 1985) and the prize "Silver Dragon" of the international cinema festival in Bilbao (Spain, 1986). It was made in Russian with with English subtitles.

Created: 3:26 AM 4/10/2009
Last updated: 3:26 AM 4/10/2009