This book incorporates into an organic whole the realities of the 1990s in Russia, focusing on film production, the films themselves, and the socio-political-cultural context. It aims to provide a picture of Russia (with Moscow in the foreground) as the big stage on which the drama unfolded. The author discusses some eighty films made between 1990 and 2000. Many reflect the reality of the present day, either in dramatic or grotesque form. Others reassess the past, placing different spins on various epochs and figures according to the director's ideological orientation. Still others offer escapism into imaginary worlds. The films selected may vary in technical quality and depth of thought; they may be mainstream pictures, or art films. But taken together, they provide an eloquent portrait of Russia, entering the new millennium still in search of its true identity.
"Anna Lawton's sparkling and original work combines impeccable scholarship, informed analysis of large issues, and an engaging interface between the nitty-gritty of daily life in Moscow and how that life is represented in cinema. I can think of no better guide to the heart of post-Soviet urban Russia than this entertaining and refreshing book.¨ -Richard Stites, Georgetown University.
"Anna Lawton deftly tells two stories„oone about the evolution of Russian film since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the other about Russian life during that same period. She managed to capture a vivid portrait of Moscow of the 1990s, and to remind us that the Soviet past remains omnipresent in the new Russia. Russia 2000: Film and Facts is a must read for anyone who cares about Russia, or about film.¨ -Blair Ruble, Director, The Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center.
"Anna Lawton's work on Russian cinema has always been marked by great clarity, good sense, and informative backgrounds and context. In her new book she adds imagination -- on-the-ground reports from the new Russia correlated to the films emerging from, and reflecting the new society and its moods. Her is a fine blend for understanding post-Soviet Russia and post-Soviet Russian film.¨ -Louis Menashe, Polytechnic University.
"Lawton's excellent book is both a path-breaking survey of Russian cinema since the fall of the Soviet Union and a lively firsthand account of the faltering first steps of the newly democratic capitalist state. Lawton summarizes the dislocations and uncertainties unleashed by the unstable market economy and the onslaught of foreign, primarily US, movies on a national film industry with deep roots in the Russian/Soviet past. In thematic chapters devoted to films about history, everyday life, fantasy, and comedy, the author then provides not only a panoramic view of the leading Russian filmmakers and their work but also a vibrant portrait of contemporary Russian concerns and hopes. . . . An excellent basic bibliography and serviceable illustrations make this readable journalistic assessment an ideal introduction not only to Russian film but also to Russia and its people today. Essential. All collections, all levels." -S. Liebman, CUNY.
