Slika Roma u ruskoj kinematografiji s početka 20. stoljeća bila je pozitivna i poetična, ali pretjerana. Posebno u sovjetskim propagandnim filmovima s porukama za Rome da se pridruže kolektivnim farmama i ustaljenom načinu života.

Najpoznatiji primjer romantizacije romske kulture je poema Aleksandra Puškina Cigani. Romi su u pjesmi prikazani kao radikalno razuzdani, ali i kao iznimno miroljubivi. U radnji pjesme Romi nasilje ne smatraju opcijom čak ni protiv ubojice Aleka, koji je na smrt izbo Romkinju Zemfiru i njezinog ljubavnika. Zemfirin otac na kraju otjera Aleka iz tabora. Nitko ne želi dijeliti krov i kruh s ubojicom. Romski tabor odlazi, a Alekova kola ostaju na praznom polju.

U pjesmi Zemfirin otac kaže:

«Мы дики, нет у нас законов,

Мы не терзаем, не казним,

Не нужно крови нам и стонов,

Но жить с убийцей не хотим».

 

„Divlji smo i nemamo zakone,

Ne kažnjavamo ni ne pogubljavamo,

Ne trebaju nam krv ni jauci,

Ali ne želimo živjeti s ubojicom.“

 

Sergei Rachmanioff prema ovoj je priči 1891. napravio operu Aleko u jednom činu. Kasnije, početkom 20. stoljeća, snimljeno je nekoliko filmova o Romima prema Puškinovoj poemi te pjesmama i glazbi iz opere.

 

Na primjer, «Drama v tabore podmoskovnyh cygan» [Drama u Taboru moskovskih Cigana] nijemi je kratki film Vladimira Siversena. Šestominutni crno-bijeli film objavljen je 6. siječnja 1909. godine. Film je snimljen s amaterskim glumcima iz pravog romskog tabora u blizini Moskve, koji su se vraški bojali kamere! Radnja ovog filma ne prati Puškinovu poemu u potpunosti. Radnja se odvija blizu Moskve, gdje se nalazi tabor. Aza, mlada Romkinja, ima dvojicu obožavatelja. Aza se udaje za jednog od njih – Aleka. Zatim upoznaje drugog obožavatelja koji je tjera da se predomisli i uda za njega. Aza ga odbija i govori da je već Aleku dala riječ da će se udati za njega. Usred svadbenog veselja odbijeni obožavatelj predloži partiju karata. Aleko se uključio u igru. On počinje strašno gubiti, gubi sav svoj novac i kladi se na posljednje što ima – konja. Karte su opet protiv njega i konj pripadne protivniku. Aleko se oprašta od konja. Kada je izgubio sve, Aleku ostaje samo jedna radost - njegova mlada žena Aza. Međutim, lukavi protivnik nudi mu posljednji ulog: odigrati još jednu rundu u kojoj će ulog biti njegova mlada žena. Aza ga moli da prekine s tom ludom strategijom, ali je već prekasno. Izgubio je u igri, a samim time izgubio je i svoju ženu. Tabor je poludio nakon što su ljudi saznali da je Aleko izgubio svoju ženu u igri i izbacuju ga iz zajednice. Neugodnost poput ove, da netko izgubi ženu u kartaškoj igri, nikada se prije nije dogodila. Pala je noć. Aleko se oprezno ušuljao u tabor tražeći Azu. Probudi je i moli da pobjegne s njim. Kune se da će pošteno raditi i da će ga tabor opet primiti. Aza mu ne može oprostiti što ju je izgubio na kartama. Govori mu da je nemoguće da pobjegne s njim. Aleko nije mogao prihvatiti da njegova žena pripada nekom drugom. Uzima nož koji je bio zataknut u remen i zabija ga ravno u Azino srce. Nakon toga je pobjegao. Stigao je do strme obale rijeke Moskve i skočio s litice. Kratki film završava ostavljajući publici osjećaj da je dio romskog tabora ovih šest minuta.

 

Prije Drugog svjetskog rata Romima je u potpunosti bio priznat tradicionalni nomadski način života, koji je iz nekog razloga posebnim dekretom bio zabranjen ostalim sovjetskim građanima. Kasnije je počelo protivljenje nomadskom načinu života, što se odmah odrazilo na kinematografiji. Na primjer, u ranom sovjetskom filmu Život na kotačima prikazuju se sve strahote nomadskog načina život, na koji Rome navodno tjeraju njihovi vođe i izrabljivači, dok Romi samo sanjaju o priključivanju kolektivnoj farmi. U filmu su prikazane i egzotične plesne sekvence sa strastvenim, zavodljivim Romkinjama.

 

Još jedan film iz 1935. godine, Posljednji tabor, pripada ranim godinama staljinizma i svojevrsna je vizualna agitacija u korist romskih nacionalnih kolektivnih farmi, koje su se zvale „Nacionalni romski kolhozi“. Danilo, stari romski vođa, čvrsto drži tabor. On ima ozbiljnog neprijatelja, vođu kolektivne farme – Ivana Liha. Ivan se strpljivo bori da se Romi uključe u kolektivne poslove. Ivana podržava lijepa mlada Romkinja Yudko. Nakon što je pozvao Rome na poljoprivrednu farmu, Ivan se obraća romskoj zajednici za pomoć tijekom sezone žetve. Tražio je konje kako bi pomogli. Danilu nije stalo do žetve i zadruge, pa dovodi najlošijeg konja iz svog velikog bogatog stada. Romska je zajednica šokirana i rugaju mu se zbog takve podle podrške. To izaziva razdor u taboru. Tijekom okršaja Danilo je nožem izbo mladu Romkinju i optužio kolhoznike za ubojstvo. Mlada Romkinja ipak preživi i razotkrije Danila. Romska zajednica napušta svog vođu i jedan po jedan se pridružuju kolektivnoj farmi. Teško je zamisliti bolju priču o agitaciji.

 

U uvodnoj sceni “Posljednjeg Tabora” na ekranu se pojavljuje karavana. Teško se probija kroz bljuzgavicu i kišu koja pada. U šatoru su bile nagurane očajne žene i djeca. U kasnijoj sceni već smo mogli vidjeti vesele Rome, koji su započeli novi život kao sovjetski farmeri. Svi su odustali od svojih nomadskih navika.

 

Zanimljivo je i to da je Staljin početkom 1930-ih svjesno vodio nacionalnu politiku koja je poticala isticanje "nacionalnog identiteta".  Na primjer, organizirane su posebne škole za Rome. U tim je školama zapravo bilo obavezno učiti romski jezik. Bio je to jezik koji mnogi asimilirani Romi nisu ni poznavali. Ta je politika kasnije ukinuta u korist opće „rusifikacije“. Tako je tematika romskih kolektivnih farmi, i s njom povezan patos nacionalnog preporoda, postala nevažna u sovjetskoj kinematografiji i literaturi nakon Drugog svjetskog rata.

 

Nakon rata romski je tabor postao romantična kulisa za egzotične i strastvene priče. Na primjer, poznati lik Budulai iz filma Cigan, unatoč cjelokupnom realističnom konceptu slike, imao je sposobnost telekineze. U jednoj od scena bicikl se kreće unatrag, linijom Budulaijevog pogleda.

 

Romske scene u kasnijem sovjetskom filmu Okrutna romansa prikazane su na malo drugačiji način nego na početku stoljeća. U ovom filmu Romi su lajtmotiv hladnokrvnog zavodnika Paratova, kojeg glumi Nikita Mihalkov. Njegov lik u filmu voli živjeti i zabavljati se. Senzualne i pomalo divlje romske pjesme i plesovi u ovom filmu naglašavaju tragičnu uvertiru i intimnost demonske strasti. Tužnu završnicu filma publika je mogla osjetiti primijetivši kako su romski plesači i pjevački simbolički prikazani u filmu. Ili tako što je obratila pažnju na tekstove pjesama.

 

Jedino što se nije promijenilo u prikazu Roma u ruskoj kinematografiji tijekom godina su strastveni likovi, povezanost zajednice, i mističnost romskog života koji one koji su izvan njega ne prihvaća unutra.

 

 

 

The image of Roma in Russian cinema of the beginning of the 20th century has been positive and poetic, but exaggerated. Especially in Soviet propaganda movies with urging messages for Roma people to join collective farms and settled lifestyle.

 

The most famous example of Roma culture romanticisation is Alexander Pushkin's poem “Цыганы" [Cigani]. In the poem, Roma are presented as radically libertine, but also as extremely peaceful people. In the plot of the poem, Roma do not consider it possible to use violence even against the murderer Aleko, who stabs to death Roma girl Zemfira with her lover because Zemfira rejected Aleko. In the end, Zemfira's father banishes Aleko from the tabor. No one wants to share roof and bread with the murderer. Roma tabor leaves and Aleko's wagon remain on the empty field.

 

In the poem Zemfira's father says:

 

«Мы дики, нет у нас законов,

Мы не терзаем, не казним,

Не нужно крови нам и стонов,

Но жить с убийцей не хотим».

 

[We are wild and have no laws,

We do not punish or execute,

We don’t need blood or moans,

But we don’t want to live with a murderer.]

In 1891, Sergei Rachmaninoff based on this story his one-act opera “Aleko”. Later, in the early 20th century, several movies about Roma were made based on Pushkin’s poem and the songs and music from the opera.

 

For example, «Драма в таборе подмосковных цыган» [Drama in the Tabor of the Moscow's Cigani] is a silent short film by Vladimir Siversen. The six-minute black-and-white film was released on January 2, 1909. It was shot with non-professional actors from a real Roma tabor near Moscow who were scared as hell of the camera. The plot of this film does not fully repeat Pushkin's poem. The action takes place near Moscow, where the tabor is located. Aza, a young Roma girl, has two admirers. Aza is getting married on one of them - Aleko. Then she meets another guy who asks her to change her mind and marry him. Aza pushing him away and replies that she has already given her word to Aleko. In the middle of the wedding festivities the rejected guy suggests a game of cards. Aleko couldn’t stand but joins the game. He plays astonishingly unlucky, loses all his money and bets the last thing he has - a horse. The cards are unlucky again and the horse falls to the opponent. Aleko says goodbye to the horse. When he has lost everything, Aleko is left with only one joy - his young wife Aza. But the cunning opponent offers him one last stake: play one more game with the young wife at stake. Gambling and the desire to recover what he has lost makes Aleko dare to allow his wife being the stake. The same time, Aza begging him to abandon insane strategy, but it is too late - the card has been swept away and Aleko loosing also his wife. Tabor freaks out after people find out about the game and kicking Aleko out of community. Such an embarrassment as losing a wife in a card game has never happened before. Night falls.  Aleko cautiously sneaks up to the tabor, looking for Aza. He wakes her up and begs his wife to run away with him, he swears that he will work honestly and that the tabor will accept him again. Aza cannot forgive the insult - losing her at cards. She says it is not possible for her to run away with Aleko. But he could not accept that his wife would belong to someone else. He is grabbing a knife from his belt and stabs it into Aza's heart. After that Aleko ran away. He is reaching the steep shore of the Moskva River and leapt off the cliff. The short film ends, leaving the audience with a feeling of being a part of Roma tabor for these six minutes. 

 

Before the World War II, Roma were fully recognized for traditional nomadic lifestyle, which was for some reason forbidden to other Soviet citizens by a special decree. Later the nomadic way of life was widely opposed, which was immediately reflected in cinema. For instance, the early Soviet movie "Жизнь на колесах" [Life on Wheels] shows all the horrors of nomadic life, to which Roma are allegedly being forced by their leaders and exploiters, while Roma themselves only dream of joining the collective farm. At the same time, the film includes exotic dance sequences with passionate, seductive Roma women.

 

Another movie, "Последний табор” [The Last Tabor] from 1935, belongs to the early years of Stalinism and is basically a visual agitation in favor of the Roma national Collective Farms which were called Цыганские Национальные Колхозы [Cigani’s national Kolhozes]. Danilo, the old Roma leader, has a firm grip on the tabor. But he has a serious enemy - the head of a collective farm - Ivan Liho. Ivan is fighting patiently to get Roma involved in the collective farm work. Ivan is supported by beautiful young Roma girl Yudko. After inviting Roma to collective farm’s fields, Ivan turns to Roma community for help during harvesting season. He asks for horse power. Danilo doesn’t care about harvesting season and collective farm, so he brings the scrappiest horse from his large rich herd. Roma community is shocked and mock him for such mean support act.  It provokes a rift in the tabor. During the rift Danilo stabs a young Roma girl and accuses collective farmers in murder. But the Roma girl survives and exposes Danilo. Roma community abandon their leader and one by one joining collective farm. Hard to imagine a better agitation story!

 

In the opening scene of “The Last Tabor” a caravan appears on the screen. It is struggling to make its way through the slush and pouring rain. Inside the tent crammed desperate women and children. In a later scene we could already see cheerful Roma, who have started a new life as Soviet farmers. Everyone has quit their nomadic habits.

 

It is also interesting that in the early 1930s, Stalin was consciously pursuing a national policy which encouraged manifestations of "national identity". For instance, special schools were organized for Roma. In these schools it was actually obliged to learn Roma language. It was the language which many assimilated Roma did not even know. This policy was later suspended in favor of general “Russification". Thus, the topic of Roma collective farms and the associated pathos of national revival became irrelevant in Soviet cinema and literature after the World War II.

 

After the War, Roma tabor became a romantic backstage for exotic and passionate stories. For example, the famous Budulai from the movie “Цыган" [Cigan], despite the overall realistic concept of the image, had the ability of telekinesis. There is a scene in the film where a bicycle rolls backwards, obeying Budulai's gaze.

 

Or the Roma scenes in a later Soviet movie “Жестокий романс” [Cruel Romance] presented in a little bit different way than in the beginning of the century. In this movie Roma are a leitmotif of cold-blooded seducer Paratov, who is played by Nikita Mikhalkov. His character in the movie likes to live and have fun on a broad scale. The sensual and slightly wild Roma songs and dances in this movie underline the tragic overture and intimacy of a demonic passion. The audience could feel the sorrow final of the movie by noticing how symbolically presented Roma dancers and singers in the movie. Or by paying close attention to the lyrics of the songs.

 

The only thing which absolutely hadn’t change in Roma representation in Russian cinema through the years is its passionate characters, community cohesion and a mystical flare of Roma life with non-acceptance of outsiders in it.