The concept of the other as a manifestation of national and cultural identity in Soviet and Post-Soviet cinema

The article is concerned with the study the role of cinema in the construction of national and cultural identity. Through the example of the Soviet and post-Soviet cinema the authors seek to show peculiarities of the national and cultural identity manifestation from the perspective of the concept of "the Others". The significance of the study is due to the following factors. Firstly, in recent years have increasingly heard statements about identity crisis as a global process, about the loss by our moderns the identity guides, and about difficulties of self-identification. Secondly, in the context of globalization national feelings become more sensitive and desire to emphasize our own difference and superiority toward those who are not "one of us", increases. Thirdly, understanding the ways and mechanisms of constructing and maintaining national and cultural identity is essential for the future of Russia. The aim of this paper is to show how an artistic model of reality, which is ideologically focused on solidarity, friendship and internationalism, is constructed by means of cinema language, and a positive image of "the Other" is formed. Methodological basis of the study is the model of identity developed by authors. This model allows us to explain the phenomenon of Soviet identity, which had connected national and cultural with civic identity. The consequence of this association was the relationship based on the searching for similarities in the difference and recognition "the Other" "One of us". As for the images of "aliens" in the Soviet cinema, they are formed not on ethnic grounds, but on the ideological and/or socio-political basis. In any case, the means of cinema were effectively used as a tool of artistic translation values, both prescribed by the Soviet ideology and historically inherent in the national mentality. Thus, the Soviet ideology included in the cultural identity formation supported its integrity and ensured mutual understanding of subjects of communications. The opposite situation exists in the post-Soviet cinema. Firstly, the demarcation of "us-them" is based on fixation of ethnic and national differences. The image of the migrants as "interlopers", representatives of another world appears in contemporary Russian cinema. The second fundamental change in distinguishing "us-them" is the loss of the ideological component. Also, the third model of "the Other" construction that is directed at the searching orienting points for personal identity in native culture, loses its relevance. We are no longer in agreement in our friendliness towards representatives of other nations. Today the ideological mechanisms do not ensure the unity of civil and national identity, and perceivable boundaries have divided formerly common communicative space. So it is very important to find something in common, which allows to perceive "the Other" without negative connotations. The Soviet cinema experience can be a handy idea under current conditions.

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