| Title |
Autobiographical family narratives about historical trauma in recent documentary cinema in Baltic countries |
| Authors |
Balcus, Zane |
| DOI |
10.55877/cc.vol27.537 |
| Full Text |
|
| Is Part of |
Culture crossroads.. Rīga : Latvian Academy of Culture. 2025, vol. 27, p. 129-144.. ISSN 2500-9974 |
| Keywords [eng] |
autobiographical narrative ; first-person documentary ; Estonian cinema ; Latvian cinema ; Lithuanian cinema ; postmemory ; mediated memory ; historical trauma |
| Abstract [eng] |
Autobiography as a retrospective narrative authored by a real individual concerning its own existence in its literary form primarily focuses on the exploration of one’s personal life. Extending beyond literature into visual arts and performance, the autobiography has also found a strong expression in documentary filmmaking. These autobiographical narratives are conveyed through a diverse mix of audiovisual materials from both private and public archives, as well as with documentary animation techniques. The article focuses on films from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, where personal memories of the filmmakers and their relatives form the foundation of the narrative about the deportations in the 1940s and Soviet occupation, presented in the first person from the perspective of the postmemory generation. The traumatic historical events of the 20th century in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania hold particular significance for these filmmakers, and their films contribute to the broader body of work narrating the historical traumas of the region. |
| Published |
Rīga : Latvian Academy of Culture |
| Type |
Journal article |
| Language |
English |
| Publication date |
2025 |
| CC license |
|
