Retrospective - Lesson 4

Four УРОКИ (LESSONS) approache the complex of the Soviet Union and cinema from different temporal, geographical, and cultural perspectives with pedagogical tongue and cheek.

Lesson 4

Cultural Diplomacy - Internationalism

The Soviet Union became increasingly involved in African countries in the 1960s. Cultural diplomacy became a central pillar of socialist internationalism. The Central Asian republics played a special role in this process, since they were considered ‘latecomers’ to modernisation and were now proving the success of the Soviet system. At the same time, key places of exchange were also created, such as the Tashkent Film Festival for the countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. UROK 4 combines films about Soviet cultural diplomacy with those that represent it: SOY CUBA / Я КУБА was a Soviet-Cuban coproduction by director Kalatozov and cinematographer Urusevsky, two masters of Soviet cinema. As part of a scholarship programme for African students at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow, a number of graduate films were made, including those by Sissako and Elnour.