Religious themes in recent Soviet cinema

Abstract

Like Soviet literature, Soviet cinema has in recent decades exhibited a persistent interest in religious themes, though this has usually been expressed in Aesopian fashion. The reason for often elliptical and coded articulation of this interest has been rigorous Soviet censorship. Lenin, as is well known, once termed cinema the most important art, because of its potential to reach a mass audience, and Soviet authorities have traditionally subjected film to extremely close scrutiny. During long Brezhnev years, films which raised serious questions about their possible political or ideational effect on viewers were placed on shelf.) Instead of combing through Soviet cinema over past thirty years for evidence of religious leanings, I have decided to concentrate on two distinguished modern filmmakers who, unlike other Soviet directors, have had opportunity to make their religious commitment explicit: late Andrei Tarkovsky (1932-86) and Andrei Konchalovsky (b. 1937). A number of other Soviet filmmakers also appear to have a keen interest in religious themes. One could cite, for example, nameS of late Vasili Shukshin (1929-74); late Larisa Shepitko (1938-79); Elem Klimov (b. 1933), recently-elected first secretary of filmmakers' union; Rolan Bykov (b. 1929), ,director of acclaimed Scarecrow (Chuche/o) (1984); and Georgian 'lfilm-maker Tengiz Abuladze (b. 1924), whose remarkable Repentance (Monanieba) (1984) took Moscow by storm when released in 1987. Since these individuals did not have opportunity· to work in West, however, extent of their religious commitment remains problematic. It is politically impossible, even under Gorbachev leadership, for a writer or film-maker to admit to being religious. Hence even writers like tpe eminent Kirghiz novelist Chingiz Aitmatov and directors like Abuladze, who are clearly focused on religious. themes, must, in interviews with Soviet and Western journalists, profess to being unbelievers. 2