Shamanism in Soviet Cinema: “The Road of the Dead” (1937)
Vestnik NSU Series History and Philology March 29, 2026 DOI: 10.25205/1818-7919-2026-25-3-139-151 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
Cinema was used in the Soviet Union as a tool to reshape public consciousness and advance an anti-religious campaign, particularly in multi-confessional regions. Analysis of archival materials from a 1935–1937 academic expedition to study the ethnography of the peoples of the Amur River reveals the film "Road of the Dead," which focused on shamanism. Comparing the expedition program with the film script exposes the motives of scientists and filmmakers in the project. The film serves as an informative visual document of its time, enabling reconstruction of both actual events and their figurative context, opening new research perspectives.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Soviet filmmakers and scientists studying shamanism among peoples of the Amur River |
| Keywords | Art History |
| Key finding | The film "Road of the Dead" reveals how scientific and cinematic efforts were combined to reshape worldview and combat religious beliefs in a multi-confessional Soviet context. |
Abstract
Purpose. The aim of this research is to examine the experience of using cinematic resources to reshape the worldview among the population of a multi-confessional country using scientific and artistic approaches. One of the key aspects of Sovietization was the anti-religious campaign, designed to get rid of heterogeneous confessional “prejudices” and construct in the consciousness of the masses a common, “near-religious” attitude to the socialist world order. Cinema, which was rapidly gaining popularity, was seen as an effective tool for operational intervention in the delicate area of public consciousness. Results. Based on the analysis of archival materials, the article introduces into scientific circulation information about the film “Road of the Dead”, dedicated to shamanism, and filmed as part of a comprehensive academic expedition in 1935–1937 to study the ethnography of the peoples of the Amur River. As a result of the study, the motives of scientists and filmmakers in implementing the film project in question are revealed by comparing the expedition program and the film script. Conclusion. A conclusion is made about the scientific significance of the film source as an informative visual document of its time, allowing us to reconstruct not only the actual events, but also their figurative context, and opening up new research prospects.