“The Soviet Government Approves of Our Religion”: Yezidism in Soviet Cinema

Abstract

Yezidi studies in Russia and the USSR were connected, first of all, with the general development of Kurdish studies. Due to long-term social isolation and religious persecution, the Yezidis were a closed society, which, due to its low social “proletarian” status, was considered by the Bolsheviks as a society capable of assimilating a new revolutionary ideology. One of the most important elements of nation-building was the formation of a national identity among the ethnic groups of the eastern and southern regions of the USSR through the promotion of the ancient heritage of these peoples, as well as the interpretation of their religious traditions as part of their national identity. Unlike the European part of the country, here it was about pre-modern societies and was complicated by tribal and religious aspects. National minorities in the USSR were often assigned to one or another republic, within the framework of which they received the institutions of modern culture and elements of their own administration. In Armenia, home to the largest Yezidi community in the region, Kurdish identity has long been linked to Islam, which could potentially also mean opposition to modern Armenian identity, which emphasizes Christianity. The Armenian side made references to the common past during the First World War and looked for additional ethnic groups as potential allies. Armenia's monopoly on the Kurds and Yezidis is reflected in the cinema. There were few films dedicated to the Kurds during the entire existence of the SSR of Armenia. The main emphasis in the report is made on the films of the interwar period: “Zare” (1926) and “Yezidi Kurds” (1932). These paintings are interesting not only as one of the earliest depictions of Kurdish society, but also as an attempt to represent and interpret Yezidi rites and customs on film.