The Presidential Library marking Russian Cinema Day

August 27 is annually celebrated in our country as the Russian Cinema Day. The Presidential Library pays special attention to newsreels as the most reliable chronicle of time. A major electronic collection has been formed and is constantly updated, which includes more than 600 depository items: these are official documents, studies, visual materials (posters, postcards), revealing various aspects of the development of domestic cinema since the beginning of the 20th century, as well as representing individual films and actors Russian and Soviet cinema.

Gottwald calculated that in 1900 there were only 10 cinemas in all of Russia, and in 1909 in Moscow there were 78.

“The first Russian film was taken in the autumn of 1907 and shown in February 1908”, - says Boris Likhachev in his study. At first, Russian film studios produced only documentaries and chronicles. One of these films was dedicated to Leo Tolstoy's trip to Moscow. The appearance of the writer on the screen caused a sensation - "himself" Leo Tolstoy is shown in the cinema. One can also read more about this in the book by Boris Likhachev.

Gradually fierce competition flares up between foreign and domestic cinema. The spectator does not demand documentary chronicles, but feature films, and wants to see precisely Russian films. This opportunity was given to the public by Alexander Drankov, a photojournalist of Russian and foreign newspapers, who opened the first cinema studio in Russia in 1907. Drankov presented to the public a real Russian artistic painting "Stenka Razin" ("Brigands from the Lower Reaches of the Volga").

The Presidential Library’s portal features rare examples of Russian art cinema. These are silent black-and-white films directed by Pyotr Chardynin Boyarin Orsha (1909) and Vadim (1910), Bela (1913) directed by Andrei Gromov, based on the works of Mikhail Lermontov as well as a unique documentary film - a chronicle of 1906, depicting the removal of imperial regalia into the St. George Hall of the Winter Palace, the utterance of the Throne Speech by Nicholas II and a prayer service on the occasion of the opening of the first convocation of the State Council and the State Duma.

The Presidential Library creates its own documentaries about the history of Russia. The instituion’s portal provides films dedicated to the majestic cathedrals and monasteries of Pskov, Veliky Novgorod, a trilogy about Staraya Ladoga, which consists of documentaries The Capital City, Saved Frescoes of Staraya Ladoga. Churches of the XII century, Saved Frescoes of Staraya Ladoga. Church of St. George.

The Presidential Chronicle project will be implemented in cooperation with the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. The project involves such films as Symbols of Presidential Power, Personal Library of the President of the Russian Federation, I Appeal to President, Archive of the President of the Russian Federation, State Residence of the President of Russia. Grand Kremlin Palace. These and other films are available on the Presidential Library’s portal in the section Audiovisual materials. In addition, documentaries are regularly broadcast on the library's portal in the TV Channel section.