The Cranes Are Flying
The iconic Russian film The Cranes are Flying, directed by Mikhail Kalatozov, placed the re-emergent post-war Soviet cinema on the international stage, winning the coveted Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or in 1958. Made during the rise of de-Stalinization, the film demonstrates the new types of techniques and themes that transformed the “Political Education” purpose of cinema in the Soviet Union. As an important film released during the brief era known as the “Thaw,” The Cranes are Flying merges its anti-war message with symbolism and naturalism, replacing socialist war propaganda films with cinematic experimentation and artistry. Set in the Stalinist era, the film has an emotional core, without overt political indoctrination. Importantly, the film changes the nature of propaganda from the cult of personality under Stalin to a focus on the socialist communal ideal through a micromanagement of the entire industry from his rise to power to prior to the start of Second Would War.
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Cranes are Flying can be purchased from Amazon or from the Criterion Collection. It can also be watched online on or YouTube.
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