Screening the Past: Representing Trauma and Memory in Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian Cinema

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

This panel explores the role of cinema as a powerful medium for interpreting and influencing historical memory and national identity in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. It addresses the depiction of traumatic historical events and the dual nature of films as both a means of documenting resistance and a potential source of retraumatization. Additionally, the panel focuses on the contrasting narratives surrounding the Soviet past, revealing how different national cinemas use history to foster or challenge collective identities. Overall, the panel underscores the significant impact of cinema on cultural discourse and memory, highlighting its capacity to reflect societal values and political influences.

Sub Unit

• Cinema, Television, Electronic Media

Chair

• Tetyana Shlikhar, U of Notre Dame

Papers

• National Identity and Memory of the 1921-23 Famine in Cinema: Russia and Ukraine - Jeremy Hicks, Queen Mary, U of London (UK)

• Unveiling Trauma, Imposing Trauma: Belarusian Documentaries as Testimonies of the 2020 Protests - Olga Klimova, U of Pittsburgh

• Memory of the Soviet Past: Trauma vs. Nostalgia in Ukrainian and Russian Cinema - Tetyana Shlikhar, U of Notre Dame

Discussant

• Justin Allen Wilmes, East Carolina U