A Chapter in Latvian Cinema History: The Process of Cinefication (1940–1941; 1944–1953)

Abstract

A campaign of кинофикация (cinefication) was started in the Soviet Union in the 1920s with the aim of making cinema accessible to the public across the country. As a means of Sovietisation of culture, cinefication was introduced in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania immediately after their occupation by the Soviet Union in 1940. Based on extensive archive work and existing published sources, this article addresses the process of cinefication in Soviet Latvia during the Stalinist years (from 1940 to 1953), highlighting some key aspects such as the structural reorganisation of cinema networks according to Soviet regulations, and the production of newsreels and feature films.

Keywords

• latvian cinema history
• cinefication
• soviet latvia
• sovietisation
• dubbing
• newsreels
• feature films