Russian through Film: For Intermediate to Advanced Students

226 Pages·2022·6.528 MB·Russian

by  Anna Kudyma, Irina Six, Irina Walsh

Russian through Film
Russian through Film: For Intermediate to Advanced Students
is a multi-level textbook
for learners of Russian that targets contemporary films in Russian. These films will
deepen learners’ understanding of today’s lifestyles in the post-Soviet space as well as
add to their understanding of Soviet and Russian history and culture. They represent
a variety of genres ranging from romantic comedy to art-house cinema. These films
pRruesssieannt tshtaronudgahrd F Rilmussian and are appropriate for various audiences.
builds on students’ listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills
while also expanding their cultural literacy. The textbook aims at improving learners’
ability to analyze films by carefully investigating the films’ plot, structure, conflicts,
and main characters. Through task-based, inquiry-based, and pro ject-based activities,
the textbook focuses on developing learners’ skills in various modes of discourse
(narration, description, comparison, explanation, and summary).
The textbook can serve as a primary text for a course on contemporary Russian films
or a supplementary textbook in intermediate and advanced le vel classes. Separate
chapters may be included in thematic classes on youth culture, Soviet history, sports,
gAenongar aKpuhdyy, fmolaklore, contemporary social issues, and the arts.

is Senior Lecturer in Russian and Ukrainian at the University of California,
LIroisn Aa nSgiexles (USA), and academic coordinator of the university’s Russian Flagship program.

is Assistant Teaching Professor in Russian at the University of Kansas (USA),
aIrnidn aa WRuaslssihan Language Program Coordinator.

is Lecturer in Russian at Bryn Mawr College (USA), and co-director of the
college’s Russian Flagship program.

Russian through Film
For Intermediate to Advanced
Students
Anna Kudyma, Irina Six
and Irina Walsh
Cover image: geralt via Pixabay
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
6R0ou5t Tlehdigrde iAs vaenn iumep, Nrienwt o Yfo trhke, TNaYy l1o0r 1&5 F8rancis Group, an informa business

© 2023 Anna Kudyma, Irina Six and Irina Walsh
The right of Anna Kudyma, Irina Six and Irina Walsh to be identified as authors of this work
has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form
or by any electronic, mechanical, or other m eans, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
pTrearmdeimssaiorkn nino twicreiting from the publishers.

: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
aBnridt iashre L uibsreadr oy nClayt faolor gidueinngti-fiinc-aPtuiobnli caantdio enx Dplaatnaa tion without intent to infringe.

ALi bcaratarlyo ogfu Ceo rnegcroersds fCoart tahloisg binogo-kin i-sP auvbaliiclaabtiloen f rDoamta t he British Library

A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-0-367-89612-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-89611-9 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-02009-7 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003020097
Typeset in Cambria
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Access the companion website: www.Routledge.com/9780367896119
CONTENTS
Preface
Acknowledgements
vi
Table of contents for each chapter
ix
Icons used in this textbook
x
Photo credits
xiii
xiii
Глава́ 1. «Про любо́вь» (2015), режиссёр Анна Меликя́н
Глава́ 2. «Он – драко́н» (2015), режиссёр Инда́р Джендуба́ев
1
Глава́ 3. «Движе́ние вверх» (2017), режиссёр Анто́н Мегерди́чев
29
Глава́ 4. «Же́нщины ГУЛА́Га» (2018), режиссёр Мариа́нна Яро́вская
61
Глава́ 5. «Без грани́ц» (2015), режиссёры Резо́ Гигинеишви́ли, Каре́н
99
Оганеся́н и Рома́н Прыгуно́в
Глава́ 6. «Еле́на» (2011), режиссёр Андре́й Звя́гинцев
131
167
Приложе́ние
Кинослова́рь (Ле́ксика по те́ме «Кино́»)
199
Index
206
211
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
Russian through Film
has three major objectives: improving learners’ understanding
of contemporaRruys sRiaunss tiharno fuilgmh Fcuillmture and intercultural competence, while also
solidify1ing Intermediate level skills and developing Advanced level skills (ACTFL,
2012). First, aims at improving learners’ ability to analyze films
by carefully investigating the films’ plot, structure, conflicts, and description of the
main characters. Through task-based, inquiry-based, and project-based activities,
the textbook focuses on developing learners’ skills in various modes of discourse
(narration, description, comparison, explanation, summary). The main features of the
textbook encourage learners to expand their vocabulary by approximately 1300–1400
lexical items, including specialized vocabulary for discussing films. Second, this
textbook will help learners increase intercultural competence. The films in this volume
will deepen learners’ understanding of today’s lifestyles in the post-Soviet space as
well as adding to their improving their understanding of Soviet history. Learners will
be interpreting cultural practices, perspectives, and products, and comparing them to
practices, perspectives, and products in their own cultures (C1). Finally, assignments
in the textbook include both intermediate and advanced level tasks (ACTFL, 2012).
The textbook offers intermediate and advanced level readings (blogs, biographies,
poems, songs, film reviews, etc.) with assignments that help learners develop effective
reading skills. Learners will develop writing skills through scaffolded assignments,
aimed at writing passages of various genres, such as film reviews, essays, film scripts,
and biographies. Listening activities are based on both scenes from the films and on
understanding the films in thei r entirety. Through speaking activities engaging learners
in conversations, discussions, and presentCaitnieomnsa, lfeoarr Rnuesrssi adne vCeolnovpe irnsatetriopnersonal and
presentational speaking skills.
Inspired byR uthssei atwn oth-vrooulugmh eF itlemxtbook , which
focused on fil2m s covering the period from 1936 to 1999 (Kagan, KashПpрeоr, лMюoбrоoвzьo va,
2(2000155, )2, 0О0н6 –) ,д ракон (2017), Движе нtaиrеg вeвtsе рcхo n(2te0m17p)o, rЖarеyн щfilиmнsы i nГ УRЛuАsГsаia (n2 c0r1e8a)t,e Бdе з
bгрeаtwниeцe n( 22001150) ,a anndd 2 Е0л2е0н.а T (h2i0s 1v1o)lume includes chapters on six films:
. The film selection process was based on the following
criteria. These films represent a variety of film genres ranging from romantic comedy
to art-house cinema. The film directors, cameramen, script writers, producers, and
actors discussed in each chapter include both prominent figures and new names. These
films are of interest and accessible to learners of Russian wh ose proficiency is at the
intermediate and advanced level (ACTFL, 2012). They present standard Russian and are
appropriate for varioПuеsр aеuдd пieрnоcсeмs оwтiрthоoмu tф tиriлgьgeмrа warnings.
Using a modular design approach, every chapter follows the same structure. Every
chapter opens with (Pre-watching activities), which
offers readings about the movie and its director(sВ),о p вroрdеuмcяe rп(sр)о, сaмctоoтrрs,а s cфrиipлt ьwмrаit ers,
etc. After watching the entirety of a movie outside of class, students are expected
to work with the movie’s key scenes in class. The После просмотра
(фWиhлiьleм wаatching activities) section includes comprehension questions about each
important scene and its most important vocabulary items. The
(Post-watching activities) section helps students create narration, description,
VII
Культура
explanation, comparison, and summary based on the plot of the movie, its finer details,
and its major conflicts, as well as studenПtsе’ сaнttиit uиdзe фs иtoлwьaмrаds the film. In the
(Culture) section, students discuss cultural products, perspectiОveтsз, ыanвdы p оra фctиicлeьsм aеs they
are portrayed in the movie. The section (Songs from the movie)
provides assignments based on tПhрeо mекovтiыe’s soundtrack. In the
(Film reviews) section, learners read open-sourced film reviews, discuss them, and
write reviews of their own. The (Projects) section contains tasks that push
students to create oral or writteЧnт pоr oеjщecеt sм, оsuжcнhо a sп оwсrмitоinтgр aе тsьcr иip пt оfoчrи pтrаoтmьotional
material and then filming it, creating Russian subtitles for a particular scene in the
movie, or writing a sequel. The (What
else can you watch and reСadл)о sвeаcрtiьon offers a list of books, articles, feature films, and
documentaries that are related to the movie for students’ independent stud y. Each
chapter concludes with a (Dictionary), with dictionary forms in alphabetical
order, together with their grammatical forms and translations into English.
The design of the assignments in each section promotes th3e development of the 4
21st century skills (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2009; Trilling & Fadel, 2009),
i.e., those skills that give learners tools to succeed in today’s workforce, life, and
citizenship. The framework distinguishes three major sets of skills: 1) learning and
innovation skills; 2) information, media, and technology skills; and 3) life and career
skills. The textbook assignments encourage the development of learning and innovation
skills, particularly, collaboration, communication, critical thinking and problem solving,
and creativity and innovation (the 4 C’s). A variety of assignments engage learners
in pair and group work in order to analyze a character or scene from a film, solve a
problem, or develop a project (e.g., to create subtitles for a scene). Learners develop
information, media, and technology skills through various research assignments. By
addressing issues of low and high culture, learners build cross-cultural skills, which
are part of life and career skills. Stude nts develop all three sets of 21st century skills in
assignments that require them to write and act out a seRquusesila tno tah proaurgtihc uFlialmr film or to
shoot and present a film commercial.
Accommodating students with a variety of interests, is suitable
for courses taught t o high school students as well as undergraduate, and graduate-level
audiences. It will also be appropriate for independent learners. The textbook can serve as
a primary text for a content-based course on contemporary Russian films or contemporary
Russian culture or a supplementary textbook in intermediate and ad vanced level classes.
Separate chapters may be included in thematic classes on youth culture, Soviet history,
sports, geography, folklore, contemporary social issues, and the arts.
A website accompanying the textbook hosts additional interactive materials, self-
corrReuctsisniagn e txherrocuisgehs ,F ainlmd keys to selected assignments. The website can be accessed
through www.Routledge.com/9780367896119.
has been piloted for two years at UCLA, University of Kansas,
and at Bryn Ma wr College, and the suggestions of both instructors and students have
been taken into consideration for this final version. The authors are grateful for these
contributions.
Notes
ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines

1 . (2012). Alexandria, VA: American Council on the
Teaching of Foreign Languages.
VIII
Cinema for Russian Conversation.
Volume 1.
2 Kagan, O., Kashper, M., & Morozova, YuC.i n(2em00a5 f)o. r Russian Conversation. Volume 2.
Newburyport, MA: Focus Publishing/R.Pullins Company; Kagan, O.,
Kashper, M., & Morozova, Yu. (2006). P21 Framework Definitions
Newburyport, MA: Focus Publishing/R.Pullins Company.
3 Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009). . Retrieved
September 19 2021 from http:2/1/spt2 c1e.notrugr/ys tsokrilalgs:e L/edaorcnuimnge fnotrs /liPfe2 i1n_ Foruarm tiemweosrk_
Definitions.pdf
4 Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). . San
Francisco: Jossey Bass.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Russian Through Film
Michael
LLiakvee ervyery textbook, is a collaborative project. There are many
people we would like to thank who helped along the way. We are grateful to
, ouOrl pgaro Fjeecdto erdoivtoar, who did an outstanding job going over the manuscript in its
final form and made many valuable suggestions that led to significant improvem ents.
We thank for proofreading the Russian text. The layout designed by
Apex CoVantage will make it easy for students to navigate through the textbook.
We are also grateful to Haverford College for providing space on the server for the
textbook webs ite and to the Digital Bryn Mawr Project Grant and to the Library and
Information Technology Services at Bryn Mawr College for supporting the development
of the website.
And finally, we are grateful to our students, who worked with the textbook in
manuscript form and made many helpful comments that improved the text.
A.K. I.S. I.W.