FILM PRODUCTION AS A TOOL FOR SOCIOCULTURAL REPRESENTATION AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY

Abstract

The aim of the article is a theoretical justification and art historical analysis of modern Ukrainian film production as a specific socio-cultural practice that provides representation, transmission and strengthening of national identity in the face of existential challenges. The article is aimed at revealing the mechanisms of cinematography's influence on the «humanitarian aura of the nation» (according to Lina Kostenko). That is, where film production acts as a system of ideological and aesthetic «mirrors» for objective self-knowledge of society and deconstruction of imperial narratives.
The research methodology is based on a combination of general scientific and special methods. Art historical analysis of cases of modern films («Cyborgs: Heroes Never Die», «Haytarma», «Pamfir») allowed us to trace the evolution of representative strategies from the period of stagnation of the 2000s to the formation of a subjective national cinema space. A cultural approach was used to decipher the semiotics of visual images, language codes and musical accompaniment as markers of identity.
Results. It is proven that Ukrainian film production has transformed from an entertainment industry into a strategic tool for cognitive protection and decolonization of consciousness. It is revealed that the processes of acculturation and socialization in cinema are implemented through the introduction of authentic language models and ethnographically accurate fixation of rituals. It is established that the integration of the tragic historical experience of the Crimean Tatar people («Haytarma»), reflection of modern combat experience and philosophical polemics about the future of the country («Cyborgs: Heroes Do Not Die»), as well as the visualization of unique local traditions and dialects («Pamfir») contribute to interethnic solidarity and the formation of a holistic collective memory. It is found that the combination of artistic empathy with documentary authenticity and international co-production ensures the emergence of the Ukrainian narrative at the global level. Thus. we are talking about the transformation of cinema into an effective means of «soft power» and a tool of cultural diplomacy in wartime.
Novelty. The work first draws a parallel between the technological aspects of film production (working with dialectologists, creating authentic costumes, involving real witnesses of historical events in filming) and the depth of socio-cultural representation of national anthropological types. The scientific understanding of the role of cinema as a repository of living tradition (in particular, the rite of Malankva), which in conditions of martial law becomes an act of cultural resistance and preservation of national subjectivity, is expanded.
Practical significance. The results of the study are valuable for specialists in public administration in the field of culture, producers and screenwriters in the development of nationally oriented content. The materials of the article can be integrated into the curricula of higher educational institutions of artistic and humanitarian profiles, in particular for courses on the history of Ukrainian cinema, media communications and cultural diplomacy. The conclusions regarding the influence of language codes in cinema on public consciousness can be used in the development of information security strategies of Ukraine.