2025-02-04

The Lithuanian Film Community in the New (Cold) War

Renata Šukaitytė (PDF)
https://doi.org/10.53631/MIS/2024.16.7

The article analyses the role of Lithuanian cinema and the film community in the new Cold War and in the Russian-Ukrainian war, which has been taking place in the eastern regions of Ukraine since 2014 and on a larger scale in the entire territory of the country since 2022, and in which more and more third countries are getting involved. The film community in Lithuania is involved in this war in various forms, the most common of which include material and humanitarian support to Ukrainians (filmmakers, soldiers, civilians), outreach and empathy-building mediation activities (targeting local audiences), and soft advocacy (targeting international audiences). The article defines, illustrates, and discusses these activities. The chosen problem is analysed within the theoretical framework of political cinema, war films, and the Cold War. The article argues that films play an important role in the new Cold War, especially in terms of political influence, cultural diplomacy, and opinionmaking. In the current geopolitical situation, characterised by tensions between the superpowers, films from less powerful countries become a politically influential mass medium, reinforcing national identities, gently advocating for them, and complementing the dominant war narratives of the great powers.

Keywords: Lithuanian cinema, Lithuanian filmmakers, political cinema, war films, new Cold War, Russia-Ukraine war