Kazakh cinema of the Soviet period is not only a collection of rare images from the past, but also a reflection of the political, cultural, and ideological processes that unfolded within the nation and across the Soviet state as a whole. From the early 1930s to the late 1970s, films appeared on screen in which national narratives intertwined with state censorship and propaganda, as well as with the search for a distinctive artistic language.

This course will examine how these films were created, why some stories made it to the screen while others were “shelved,” and how cinema could simultaneously serve as an instrument of power and as a space for national self-expression.

By the end of the course, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the history and context of Kazakh cinema during the Soviet period, learn to “decode” the hidden meanings of films, and view them not only as works of art but also as important documents of their time.

‍

Course programme:

1. Cinema as a tool of Soviet propaganda: 1920s–1930s

2. Central United Film Studio (TsOKS) and Stalinism: 1940s–1950-s

3. Cinema as a tool of Russification: 1950s–1960s

4. Musical Comedies as Vehicles of Soviet Ideology: 1950s–1960s

5. The Rise of National Cinema during the “Thaw”: 1960s–1970s

6. War Films by Mazhit Begalin and Children’s Films by Abdulla Karsakbayev: 1960s 

7. Soviet Kazakh Easterns: 1960s-1970s 

8. Cinema of the “Stagnation” Era: 1970s–1980s, Where There Was No Place for the National