University of Pittsburgh Russian and Soviet Cinema: Bibliography

Maintained by Vladimir Padunov [padunov@pitt.edu]
(13 May 2009)

The following bibliography on Russo-Soviet cinema (1896 to the present) makes no claims to being exhaustive. Suggestions for corrections and additions are welcome.

It was originally compiled to assist non-Russian speaking undergraduate students enrolled in two University of Pittsburgh courses that fulfill the university’s writing requirement for graduation. These courses–Russian 0870-W (History of Russian Film I: The Beginnings to Stalin) and Russian 0871-W (History of Russian Film II: From Stalin to the Present)–are offered annually by the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures and the Film Studies Program. Initially the bibliography contained entries only in English.

Over the years, however, the bibliography began to be used by graduate students in both the Slavic Department and the Film Studies Program, especially those enrolled in courses on the history of Russo-Soviet cinema (Russian 2638: Lumière To Lenin: Russian and Soviet Cinema, 1896-1934; Russian 2639: Stalin at the Movies: Soviet Cinema, 1934-1953; and Russian 2640: Post-Stalin Russian Cinema: Soviet and Russian Cinema, 1953-Present). For this reason materials in Russian, French, German, and Italian began to be added to the bibliography in 1998.

The list below is organized to provide an ever-narrowing focus, from reference works and monographs on Russo-Soviet history to specific time intervals, and, finally, to an alphabetical list of significant figures and institutions in the history of Russo-Soviet filmmaking.