Soviet Cinematography in the Territory of the Ussr in the 1960s–1980s: The Problem of Bilingualism

Abstract

The article reveals the influence of Soviet cinema on the change in the linguistic identity of the population of the Ukrainian SSR. The content, ideological context of the cinema of the 1960s – 1980s in the conditions of the Russification policy of the party nomenclature is analyzed. The role of the contemporary film industry in realizing the concept of a single community – the «Soviet people» is highlighted. It is worth highlighting the key reasons for this process: the attempt of the Soviet authorities to avoid free-thinking among workers in creative professions, the prevention of any manifestations of Ukrainian identity, the fight against dissidence, in particular the prevention of its manifestations, etc. The role of television in the life of a Soviet citizen in the 1960s – 1980s is revealed. The influence of the Soviet film industry on the worldview of the population is highlighted. The regulatory and legislative framework, which regulated the issue of cinematography, was considered. The characterization of this issue made it possible to detail the specifics and single out the trends of Soviet policy in the field of television and radio broadcasting. In general, Soviet cinema is considered as one of the means and methods of Russification of society, changing the ethnic and linguistic identity of the population. It was found out that the peculiarity of Soviet cinema was the ideological component, which permeated absolutely all spheres of life of the society at that time. One of the goals of the cinema was the formation of conviction in the individual about the common historical and cultural origin of all the peoples of the USSR, and most importantly, the awareness of oneself as a part of the «Soviet people». Regardless of the genre (artistic or documentary), Soviet cinema, like any other work of art, was intended to show the so-called greatness of the «Soviet people», to depict the simple «Soviet man» as a hero of his time, to highlight the main achievements of socialist construction etc. Of course, the realization of the tasks of the cinema required strict censorship, and in documentaries – falsifications and substitution of facts. Together with the spread of Russification, all these phenomena led to the renunciation of the linguistic, cultural, and household traditions of one’s ethnic group