The last year of the “Belle Époque”, or province identification through cinema (the example of Perm region of the early XX century)

Abstract

The article examines the outlook of a provincial viewer in the reflection of early silent movies of 1913. The period from the time of the World Exhibition in Paris, when the Eiffel Tower was built, and until World War I was called the Belle Époque. The Belle Époque appeared in culture and everyday life, and the birth and flourishing of cinema was one of its indicators. The city of Perm was chosen for the consideration as the capital of a big region and a typical Russian province with the lights of illusions shining as everywhere. The cinema became the most popular mass entertainment and the centre of everyday city life. Unlike other cultural and recreational activities like theatre, circus and farce, movies were visited by the representatives of all social groups and therefore became a speaking miniature of urban society. On the eve of the war Danish, Italian, French, German movies were popular. At the same time Russian cinema industry began to develop with the evolving of main genres and trends. The quality of the movies marked the division between mass and elite tastes of the public. Cinematographic products of foreign and national companies, adaptations of classic and contemporary authors, adventure and psychological dramas respond to the increasing expectations of viewers, so they can serve as sources for the study of diverse interests and life strategies of people in the early XX century.