The contribution of Italian cinema to the transformation of Soviet leisure practices in the 1960–1980-s

The article is devoted to the study of the problem of changing Soviet everyday life in the 1960s–1980s under the influence of Italian cinema. The theoretical framework for our analysis is the concept of late Soviet "spaces of non-attendance," as proposed by anthropologist A. V. Yurchak. A distinctive aspect of the author's methodology is the utilisation of Italian cinema as a lens through which we elucidate the nuances of the Soviet reality formation process during the 1960s and 1980s. It is our hypothesis that an examination of the 'imaginary West', as constituted through Italian film, enables a more profound comprehension of the principal processes occurring within Soviet everyday life. It is of particular interest to us to examine the contribution of Italian cinema, its meanings and images, to the expansion of the space of the private among Soviet moviegoers. To this end, we have conducted an analysis of the various forms of leisure activities engaged in by Soviet citizens in relation to Italian cinema. The practice of collecting photographs and postcards was also examined, as was the practice of discussing the content of movies in the printed media and by correspondence, as well as during "kitchen conversations". Finally, rituals of arranging living space were considered as part of the process of forming an individual taste of a movie lover. The objective of this article is to examine the emergence of new forms of communication and collectivity in Soviet everyday life through an analysis of the role of Italian cinema in Soviet culture. The empirical basis for the study was formed by articles in the periodicals Soviet Screen and memoirs of direct participants in the events, published on the Internet. The visual representation of Italian cinema figures from the 1960s to the 1980s was analysed on the basis of an examination of magazine photography, Soviet postcards and photo cards.