In search of brotherhood: on interpretations of the patriotic narrative in the scripts, images and myths of contemporary russian cinema

Abstract

This article explores the semantic and visual interpretations of Russian patriotic narratives through cinematic means. To this end, the author identifies the key images and mythological plots that comprise this narrative, analyzing their ideological content and practical application depending on the socio-political context using the content of several Russian films of the last three decades as an example. Specifically, the author examines the semantics of the "hero" and "enemy" images traditional in patriotic discourse in art, as well as the visualization of the myth of the historical greatness of the people and state, which serves as a unique national version of the "golden age" myth. Particular attention is paid to the reflection of the mythological plot, referred to in the article as the myth of the "dark past," in Russian cinema, and the ideological justifications for its emergence are analyzed. Based on the state's goal of promoting a patriotic narrative, the author identifies three stages in contemporary Russian cinema since the 1990s. During the first stage, when state funding and mandates for the dissemination of patriotic values were virtually nonexistent, this narrative manifested itself in cinema sporadically, spontaneously expressing deep-seated national archetypes, images, and phobias. During the second stage, films produced with state support reflected the demand for a renewed patriotic discourse, allowing for varied and non-stereotypical interpretations of expressions of love for the fatherland. During the third stage, which was defined by the onset of active confrontation between Russia and the West, with military actions in Donbas and Novorossiya, the attitudes and ideological clichés of classical patriotism once again became relevant.