Scholarly record

ETHNOCULTURAL ASPECT OF FILMTEXT AND ITS ROLE IN THE STUDY OF MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL HERITAGE OF INDIGENOUS CULTURES (CASE STUDY OF FILMS OFELAS (1987) BY NILS GAUP AND CRANES OVER ILMEN (2005) BY NIKITA ARZHAKOV)

K. Fedorova, L. Bolshakova

Abstract

The article studies the educational potential of filmtext as a source of ethnocultural information and means of intercultural dialogue. At present, the implementation of cultural dialogue often takes place in the space of one of the key phenomena of contemporary culture - the cinematic space. We approach the study by analyzing the filmtexts of two feature films that represent two forms of broadcast of cultural information within the screen: historical (Cranes over Ilmen by Nikita Arzhakov) and cultural (Ofelas by Nils Gaup). The topology of the chosen films presents the Arctic, a place of pristine landscapes, unique flora and fauna, and a motherland for many Indigenous cultures. Ofelas (1987) by Nils Gaup, a SГЎmi film director, is presented as an example of cultural self-representation of the SГЎmi people in the period of cultural weakening. The visual narrative of the film is studied as a source of a symbolic discourse. It reveals implicit ethnic and cultural information (symbols from natural and animal worlds, color symbols and etc.). The other film Cranes over Ilmen (2005) by the Russian film director of Sakha ethnic background Nikita Arzhakov gives the opportunity to see and feel the World War II through the eyes of the indigenous peoples of Sakha. By picturing two little known facts of the wartime from indigenous perspectives, the film portrays true ethnic characters. Both films are considered in a historical context - SГЎmi land rights and land claims and World War II from Sakha perspectives. Besides, the article deals with culturally significant information that is expressed implicitly (through symbols, behavior of the characters, etc.), provided with the help of movie options, i.e. the ways of presenting information through the cinematic language (study of types of shots, lighting, editing and etc.).

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