Aleksandr Medvedkin

Alexander Ivanovich Medvedkin (Russian Александр Иванович Медведкин, scientific transliteration Aleksandr Ivanovich Medvedkin; born 24 Februarjul / March 8 1900greg in Penza, Russian Empire, .. † February 19, 1989 in Moscow ) was a film director of the Russian avant-garde.

Life and work

Alexander Medvedkin first attended an engineering school when he entered as a volunteer in 1919 in a cavalry division, where he worked in the Soviet Union in the Civil War. In 1920 he became a member of the Communist Party and engaged after the war in a community theater, where he played mainly in satirical pieces. In 1927 he started the film studio work Goswojenkino, the State Army Film Studio and initially staged military training films, but also assisted directors like Nikolai Okhlopkov. In addition to directing satirical short films, he tried his silent films to motivate politically to achieve an immediate operational effect.

He is now one of the silent film pioneers, who emerged during the 1930s in the former Soviet Union as a political activist filmmaker. Medvedkin designed by a decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1932 the film tension - an unusual cinematic project, with the Medvedkin the motivation of workers and farmers wanted to increase for the building of socialism. The film tension rolled with around 30 employees, the need for filming equipment, an editing suite, and a complete development laboratory by the Soviet Union. Medvedkin team documented the day, people at work and in the production and led them to this movie incurred in the evening for discussion; Occasion for critical reflection of interaction, communication and production or working methods - but also for charges against bureaucracy, sabotage and negligence. The film tension, which was from 1932 to 1935 on the way, often returned to months old locations to document changes.

From this footage, little is preserved. In this context created and narrated short films reconstructed Nikolaj Iswolow. The 1935 revolution resulting film "Happiness " (Russian: Stschastje ) is also preserved.

1967 Medvedkin occurred after more than 30 years of filmmaking during the Leipzig Documentary and Short Film Festival in the public eye. His film The Shadow of the corporal was honored at the festival with a special prize and he came into contact with the French documentary filmmaker Chris Marker, who was inspired by his work and later a documentary dedicated to him. During the 1960s and 1970s the concept of Medwedkinsche cinematic documentation of living and working conditions of the working class has been taken. French workers' groups and filmmakers were several " Medvedkin groups ".

Works (selection)

• How are you, Comrade miners?
• There is no cultural work!
• What do you, dear comrades?
• The happiness

Sources (selection)

• Le Tombeau d' Alexandre Le Bonheur ET - COFFRET 2 DVD, édition arte, 2005
• Les Groupes Medvedkine - Coffret 2 DVD, Éditions Montparnasse, 2006