Soviet 'Easterns/Osterns' of the 1920s: AdventureFilms onthe Caucasian Frontier of Russia

The article elucidates the issue of representation in Soviet cinema of historical events that transpiredduring the formation of the Caucasian frontier and the interactions that emerged betweentheindigenous population and the tsarist troops. The term "Eastern" is analogous to the term"Western" which refers to films about the exploration of the Wild West. This is a useful way ofconceptualizing Soviet silent films created on Caucasian material from the 19th-early 20th centuries.This article aims to examine feature films from the 1920s that depict Russia's advance intotheCaucasus. It seeks to identify similarities and differences between these films and the first Soviet"Easterns/Osterns" and "Westerns," as well as to analyze the influence of ideological attitudesinhistorical science on the interpretation and depiction of events that took place on the Caucasianfrontier. The visual sources utilized in this study include the silent films 'Abrek Zaur' (1926), 'The Lawof the Mountains' (1927), and 'Zelimkhan' (1929). Additionally, published materials from the 1920s,including periodicals such as newspapers and magazines, were consulted. The study yielded insightsinto the stylistic similarities between classic Westerns and the first Soviet Easterns, includingtheportrayal of protagonists, the use of action and stunts, and the incorporation of jumps.Thecontent of the films is correlated with real historical events, but they reflect the Bolshevik para-digm of history in the study of ethnosocial conflicts in the Caucasus. In films about highlanders,masculine culture is a dominant feature due to gender attitudes and the national cultural identity ofthe peoples of the Caucasus. Films about mountaineers were instrumental in shaping perceptions ofthe Caucasus during the early decades of the twentieth century. They illustrate the attributes oftraditional culture, daily life, customs of mountain village inhabitants, the characteristics of the land-scape, and architectural features. In general, films of an adventurous nature created on Caucasianmaterial are of interest to those with an affinity for classic cinema, particularly the earliest SovietEastern films, as well as to researchers seeking to gain insight into significant historical and culturalinformation. This article is intended for those engaged in the study of the history of Soviet cinema.