Role of national cinema in the formation of national identity

This article touches upon the topic of the relationship between national identity and works of art. The author focuses on cinema as one of the most massively consumed and popular forms of art of our time. To uncover this subject matter, the cinema of the USA, USSR and modern Russia are considered. By the example of different movements of various periods of moviemaking in these countries, one can feel the mood and make sense of the views and values of an era in which a picture was created. Thus, films become visual markers of modernity, which allow subsequent generations to find a connection with their past. That, of course, is an important part of the process of forming a national identity. In addition, the author describes how Hollywood conservative cinema of the 40s and 50s differs from the American cinema of the New Hollywood of the 60s and 70s, which was characterized by greater frankness in covering certain topics and problems. Also, the article touches upon how Hollywood returned to traditional values in the eighties during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Furthermore, as an example of how movies capture the zeitgeist the author cites soviet movies of the Thaw and of the Era of Stagnation. Also, this study uncovers the problem of the insolvency of modern Russian cinema in comparison with the Soviet movie industry in relation to its place in the mass consciousness of Russian people and its cultural significance. The author also writes about how the shortcomings of the state management of the modern Russian industry impede the creation of more films that can affect formation of national identity.