Russkiy suvenir

These images are from the collection of documemtary filmmakers Irina Margolina and Mark Lyakhovetsky, who produced the series “Animation from A-Z.” Irina Margolina: Yuri Merkulov collaborated with Nikolai Khodataev, the classic Soviet animator. They worked during the 20s, the most difficult period of Soviet animation. In those years animation was supposed to be propaganda -- like a poster. The purpose of an animated film was to instruct. The naïve Soviet “auditorium” needed naïve stories, which were easily understood. Merkulov’s films were political: mundane caricatures were combined with laconic story lines. Simple satire, like that produced by an amateur heatre. The heroes of the films are very good or very bad. Bad enemies and good riends. Merkulov’s films were not great artistically but they were part of that era. The interest in his work is based on Merkulov’s political belief, that what he was doing was important and necessary for the country, which comes through in virtually every frame.