Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Mosfilm Film Concern – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Film production in Russia emerged almost immediately after the invention of cinematography—in 1896, a year after the Lumière brothers' films were released in Paris. By the first decades of the 20th century, several film studios were already operating in Russia, the most famous of which were two in Moscow—Alexander Khanzhonkov's and Iosif Ermoliev's. They produced numerous popular silent films, accompanied by on-screen captions and live music.
The simplicity and accessibility of this new art form proved in demand after the 1917 Revolution. The government of Soviet Russia quickly recognized the role of cinema as a powerful propaganda tool, and in 1919, by a special decree, nationalized all existing film production companies.
In the early years of Soviet power, the state faced a myriad of important tasks, among which the revival of the once-flourishing film industry occupied a prominent place. As early as 1922, by decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR, the former studios of A. Khanzhonkov and I. Ermoliev were transferred to the Central State Photographic and Film Enterprise "Goskino" as the First and Third Film Factories, respectively. But to begin operations, they needed not only premises but also expensive equipment and film—all of which were virtually destroyed during the Civil War.
The building of the former film studio on Zhitnaya Street
In 1923, following a major renovation, work began at the First Goskino Factory, housed in the former Khanzhonkov film studio on Zhitnaya Street. The Third Goskino Factory (located in the former Ermoliev studio near Bryansky, now Kievsky, railway station) was used primarily as a warehouse. Numerous administrative changes soon led to the merger of the First and Third Factories into a single enterprise, which would later become the Mosfilm Film Studio.
In the spring of 1924, the move was completed, and by order of 15.04.24, the former Third and First factories were merged into a single First Film Factory "Goskino" (explanatory note to the Chief Accountant of Goskino from accountant Sergei Fedorovich Zamyatin, RGALI, f.989, op.1, file 340, p.52), which would later become the Mosfilm Film Studio.
Later, January 30, 1924, would be considered the studio's official birthday, the date on which the director of the new film studio, Boris Mikhin, first released his film "On Wings Upward," which tells the story of the heroism of Soviet pilots and aircraft designers. The film was released on January 30, 1924, and it is this date that is now considered Mosfilm's birthday.
On the set of the film "On Wings Upward", Big Studio, director Boris Mikhin in the director's office.
The small studio on Zhitnaya was quickly rebuilt and gained significant momentum. A report on the production capacity of the First and Third Factories noted that their merger "undoubtedly yielded positive results: after organizational work, the factories were brought into relative order (possible given their dilapidated state)." (RGALI, collection 2498, op. 1, file 2, p. 41)
After its renovation, the First Film Factory was recognized as the best in the USSR and could simultaneously produce three films. As noted in 1924, only 113 people worked at the First Film Factory. However, such a small team boldly took on enormous challenges. Thus, the work plan for 1924-1925 named 26 films, divided into several thematic sections, such as the history of the Russian working class, the Civil War era, revolutionary detective stories, and social satire. In 1925, Mikhail Kapchinsky noted that "the focus of our immediate work is technical improvement… Lighting equipment, lighting, and filming equipment—this is the trinity on which the factory will be put to a serious test" (Soviet Screen, 1925, No. 23).
In the 1920s, Sergei Eisenstein (Strike, 1924, Battleship Potemkin, 1925, October, 1927), Lev Kuleshov (The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. West in the Land of the Bolsheviks, 1924, Death Ray, 1925), Abram Room (The Traitor, 1926, Third Meshchanskaya, 1927), Vsevolod Pudovkin (The Descendant of Genghis Khan, 1928), Alexander Dovzhenko (Arsenal, 1928) and many other outstanding film directors began working at the studio.
Since the mid-1920s, cinema had undoubtedly become an increasingly effective instrument of state cultural policy and a testament to the successes of Soviet Russia. A 1927 report by Sovkino stated: "In a vast country, enslaved for centuries, a country with a multi-million peasantry ruined by the exploitation of landowners and imperialist war, a country with backward technology, widespread illiteracy, and a general lack of culture—among the measures promoting the construction of socialism—cinema had to become a tool for the communist education of the broadest peasant masses." ("The Importance of Cinema in the Village," Sovkino report, 1927, RGALI, f. 645, op. 1, d. 363, pp. 50-51)
But producing films in small film factories was becoming increasingly difficult, and it was no coincidence that Eisenstein compared the "tiny studio on Zhitnaya Street with its glass sides and purple curtains" to an old photography studio. (Mosfilm Studio, Soyuzinformfilm, 1982, p. 4)
Moreover, sound entered world cinema in the late 1920s, and Soviet film production was forced to begin work on sound films. It was decided to adapt the Second Sovkino Factory (formerly D. Kharitonov's film studio at 27 Lesnaya Street) for this purpose. In April 1930, its conversion into a sound film factory began, but it turned out that in addition to expensive equipment, a significant renovation of the entire building was required. Film production urgently required expansion.
In the second half of the 1920s, the government faced the challenge of building not just a new studio, but an entire film city—one where all the necessary workshops and services would be conveniently, compactly, and efficiently assembled in one place, where costumes and sets, filming equipment and lighting equipment, and everything needed for film editing and printing copies for distribution would always be available.
Europe had never seen anything like it. But the idea was in the air, and in a sense, the equivalent of such a film city was Hollywood, which young directors Sergei Eisenstein, Grigory Alexandrov, and cinematographer Eduard Tisse had encountered during a trip to the United States in the 1920s. The government attached such great importance to the new film studio that its construction project was included in the list of the most important projects of the first five-year plan.
Sergei Eisenstein in the USA, Potylikha district at the turn of the 1920s–1930s, the main building of the Mosfilm film concern, 1929.
As early as early 1927, a competition was announced "for the design of the Sovkino film factory in Moscow." The explanatory program for the competition stated that the film factory building should have several studios (studios) separated by fireproof, movable partitions, allowing them to be connected if necessary to create a larger space. In front of the studios, there should be an open area for location filming, with detachable walls allowing it to be connected to the interior. The program specified a 3.5-meter-deep pool with windows for underwater filming beneath the studio. The studio's ceiling should be designed to accommodate a system of movable platforms for lighting equipment.
Several designs were submitted for consideration. The winning design was based on the then-dominant Constructivist architectural style, which eschewed decorative elements in favor of functionality and clean lines. The building's plan vaguely resembled an airplane: the management office in the center—the "cockpit"—was located in the "wings," the main Pavilion No. 1 and Pavilion No. 4 were in the "fuselage," and the assembly shop and actors' rooms were in the "tail."
These four pavilions had a total area of 4,629 square meters, with Pavilion No. 1 still striking in its scale – its area is 1,819 square meters, and its height is 13 meters.
But it wasn't just its scale that made the new studio unique. The building, whose construction began in 1927, was only the first of a large complex of structures that would house all the workshops and services. The studio was intended to become a veritable film city, ensuring the full and continuous film production cycle. It would house warehouses for sets, props, and furniture, a lighting equipment park, paint and decor workshops, actors' dressing rooms and makeup rooms, directors' and editing rooms, screening rooms, a tailoring studio, a cafeteria, a medical office, a telephone exchange, a fire department, and other facilities. The undeniable advantages of this design later made Mosfilm a model for the construction of other film studios.
On November 20, 1927, the groundbreaking ceremony for a new film studio took place on Sparrow Hills near the village of Potylikha. The invitation card detailed directions to the site where, a few years later, the Mosfilm studio buildings would rise. At the time, it was a picturesque outskirts of the city, where residents enjoyed relaxing and strolling along the banks of the Moskva River.
Soviet newspapers published numerous articles with headlines such as "Give Us a Giant for the Soviet Film Industry!", "Building Hollywood on Potylikha," and others. Because this project was considered a priority, the first phase of the new film factory was completed in 1930. By the end of January 1931, the First and Third Soyuzkino Film Factories began moving into the still-unfinished building, and the grand opening of the new film factory took place in early February 1931.
Today, Mosfilm is the leading and most technologically advanced enterprise in the Russian film industry, operating as a multifunctional, full-cycle film concern. It produces the majority of Russian film, television, and video content. Mosfilm is technically equipped to the latest international standards. The complex houses a modern cinema and concert complex, the "Cinema Center," which has been recognized as Moscow's best movie theater. New high-tech sound stages (No. 16 and No. 17) and the "House of Costume and Props" are also in operation. Mosfilm is also a popular tourist attraction! The concern's museum houses rare collections of automobiles and sets. Tickets for tours sell out in minutes. The studio regularly hosts industry events, including national film and TV series premieres, national awards, and cultural and scientific events. Mosfilm is a state-owned enterprise and operates entirely with its own funds.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.