Film Companies (entry)

Categories / Art/Cinema
FILM COMPANIES are film production enterprises from the early 20th century. The first film company in Russia - The First Atelier for Manufacturing of Cinematic Films - was founded by Alexander Drankov in 1907. In 1907-17, 17 film companies were operating in St. Petersburg. Among the largest companies were Omnium-Kino (founded by V.V. Karpinsky in 1908, specialized in documentary films production), Dovlatov & Co. (founded in 1909, specializing in military and sport films production), Minotavr (founded by A.D. Min, science films production and distribution), Apollon Association (founded by Karl Bulla in 1909, chronicles and travelogues production), Tanagra (founded by M.I. Bystritsky in 1913, production of feature films involving the most prominent actors of the time: Konstantin Varlamov, O.N. Mitkevich, ballet dancer Elena Smirnova, et al.), Russkaya Lenta (founded by director Boris Glagolin in 1914, specialized in filming literary works), and director B.S. Glagolin (specializing in adapting literary works to the big screen), Skobelevsky Centre (the military cinema department of the General Headquarters established in March 1914, was granted the monopoly to shoot documentary scenes on the fronts of World War I). Most film companies combined production and distribution. Films The Great Days of the Russian Revolution, February 28 - March 4, 1917 and The October Coup. The Second Revolution. reflect the events of February - October 1917. Almost all film companies ceased to exist in 1917-18. Skobelevsky Centre was nationalized and became the foundation for Petrograd Film Distribution in March, 1918.

References: Лихачев Б. С. Кино в России (1896-1926): Материалы к истории рус. кино. Л., 1927. Ч. 1.

I. V. Sepman. Bystritsky M.I.
Drankov Alexander Osipovich
Glagolin (real name Gusev) Boris Sergeevich
Karpinsky V.V.
Minom A.D.
Mitkevich O.N.
Smirnova Elena Alexandrovna
Varlamov Konstantin Alexandrovich
Лихачев Б. С. Кино в России (1896-1926): Материалы к истории рус. кино. Л., 1927