Animation and the National Ethos: the American Dream, Socialist Realism, and Russian Émigrés in France
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Animation and the National Ethos: the American Dream, Socialist Realism, and Russian émigrés in France by Jennifer Boivin A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies University of Alberta © Jennifer Boivin, 2017 ii Abstract Animation is seen as the innocent child of contemporary media and is often considered innocuous and juvenile in general popular culture. This might explain why it is still a marginal field. Perhaps this perception is influenced by the mass media of animation being mostly aimed at children, or at least perceived as such. This thesis specifically focuses on animated films’ aesthetic and content in relation to their particular cultural context and ethos, or national ideology. I investigate the American Dream, Soviet Socialism, and a Russian émigré ethos in France to show how seemingly similar content can carry unique ideological messages in different cultural contexts. Therefore, my film analyses examine the way animation is used as a medium to carry specific meaning on the screen, expressing this ethos. The national ethos is manifest in beliefs and aspirations of a community, culture, and era, and it promotes a certain cultural unity and order. It is a form of nationalism oriented towards utopian values rather than clear civic or political engagement. It can be politicised as well as individualised. This idealised ethos remains a largely constructed paradigm on which the regular citizen (and the audience) should model his behaviour. In this thesis, I propose that animation is not only a form of entertainment, but also a possible mechanism of social control through national ideas, responding to prevailing cultural and social conditions. In some cases, as in the American Dream and the Soviet national models, the iii national ethos is clearly articulated by ideology. In contrast, the Russian émigré animators’ films display a fragmented ethos because the collective, the individual, and the nation coexist confusedly within the same model. Nevertheless, this last ethos still expresses the identity of the artist and his relationship with the nation. The three settings I investigate demonstrate how the national ethos’ nature is a dynamic aspect of identity, constantly remodelled and renegotiated depending on the cultural group, the socio-political changes, and the individual perception of the ethos. The methodology I utilise merges film criticism and analysis, with anthropology and cultural studies. My aim is to examine the way in which the content and aesthetics of animated films play a role in building the national identity and shape how we perceive ourselves, our community, and the rest of the world. Anthropology and cultural studies’ contribution is that they do not see nationalism as an essentially political phenomenon. Instead, anthropologists and cultural theorists perceive nationalism, nation, and tradition as cultural practices and social phenomena, largely constructed, imagined, or invented. Implying that the social world and its institutions, which we inhabit, are largely produced through and by imagination. Animation’s diegesis represent an imaginary world and the national ethos is equally imaginary. This research is an exploration of how ideological discourses are expressed through animated films’ content and aesthetics. It makes the films displaying the ethos a cultural reminiscence of a specific socio-political group and iv a specific era of history. In this sense, understanding how ideological discourse functions and is expressed in animated films is of great significance to the study of film and to the study of a society because the media culture constitutes a part of the cultural memory of a collective and helps us to comprehend how it is structured. v For Jane and for Lynnien vi Acknowledgements The completion of this thesis would never have been possible without the help and assistance of many people. First, my parents, who have offered their support during my graduate studies adventure and especially during the last two years that this dissertation took. Dr. Micah True, my supervisor, for countless hours of work, comments, specification on English, and discussion, but also for his dedication into orienting my career. This thesis project could never have been possible without his input and he certainly deserves a part of the success of this dissertation. Dr. Alla Nedashkivska for accepting the challenge of being on my supervisory committee, for her comments on the thesis, and support of my academic career. Her humour, dedication, and energy had stayed an important inspiration since the day she taught me. Dr. William Beard, who also accepted to be part supervisory committee. His knowledge of cinema and challenging comments helped in shaping this research project. His contribution on this thesis and on my scholarly development has been invaluable. Dr. Elizabeth Czach from University of Alberta, who provided input about animation and who accepted to be my defense examiner. Dr. Chris Reims-Chikuma for accepting to be the defense Chair. Dr. Robin Everall for being present at the defense. Andrea Hayes, who organised the defense. Dr. Nicholas Sammond from University of Toronto, who accepted to be my external examiner. Dr. Ludmila Dorosh and Karl Waskiewicz for their hospitality. I would like to thank some people who became my second family in Alberta and who have always been supportive in this academic adventure. Thank you to Lynnien Pawluk and Jane Wilson who made me swear to finish this degree and never let me throw in the towel. Their assistance, sense of humour, energy, unconditional friendship, and love has been vital to me. I want to thank Pierre Alexandre Morin for his support during the time this thesis took to write. Thank you for your energy, kindness, friendship, patience, and for your love. You have been and continue to be an inspiration. Aside from the assistance I have received, I want to acknowledge some people, who have oriented my research. Thank you to Dr. Pauline Greenhill from University of Winnipeg and Dr. Jack Zipes from University of Minnesota, who both provided input about fairy tales and who pointed out academic material to work on my thesis argument. Thank you to those who assisted in providing French and Soviet film material, and archival material. I want specifically to acknowledge Oleksandra Synytsyna, Pierre Boucher, Diane Ayotte, and pinscreen animator Michèle Lemieux from the National Film Board of Canada; Julienne Boudreau at the Médiathèque Guy L. Côté of the Cinémathèque Québécoise; Maryna Chernyavska, archivist at the Bohdan Medwidsky vii Ukrainian Folklore Archives; Jean-Baptiste Garnero and Daniel Brémaud from the Archives françaises du Film in Paris; Frank Young, specialist of the animation of Tex Avery in the United States; Frank Gladstone, Executive Director of ASIFA-Hollywood (International Animated Film Association); animation historian Giannalberto Bendazzi; Dan Sarto, co-founder and publisher of Animation World Network; Petra Zimmermann, head of the library at the Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe in Germany; Timo Linsenmaier, webmaster of the Society for Animation Studies; Dr. Justine Gill from the University of Alberta; Eugène van Will, Soviet animated film enthusiast in the Netherlands; François Lo Duca, son of the late animation historian Guiseppe Lo Duca from France; and finally, from YouTube, Russian avatar “Zurka 75”, also a Soviet animation devotee. These people’s contributions have been a valuable source of information. Special thank you to Dr. Twila Bakker for proofreading and editing this thesis. I am grateful to the ones who have helped me with translations. For helping with English, thank you to my neighbour in Québec, Pierre Leclair, and my good friend in New Brunswick, Amélie Leblanc. I also received help with translation of Russian and Ukrainian languages from friends and colleagues at the University of Alberta. Thank you to Tamara Shtanova, Anna Kuteleva, Dr. Justine Gill, and Maryna Chernyavska. For their input regarding music, thank you to my good Montrealer friend Tanya Karamanos, and to Dr. Angeliki Koufou from England. The completion of a thesis always comes with administrative duties, financial support, and the organisation of a defence. From the University of Alberta, thank you to Jane Wilson, Eva Glancy, Andrea Hayes, Lynnien Pawluk, Dr. Victoria Ruetalo, Dr. Carrie Smith-Prei, the Kule Folklore Centre, the Bohdan Medwidsky Ukrainian Folklore Archives, the Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies, and the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. Lastly, some people deserve acknowledgement as well, as they impacted this thesis indirectly. Some of them I have met many years ago and our paths never crossed again. Some I have had the chance to see for many years. Their advice and influence still follow me in my every steps as a scholar. A special thank you to Sister Pierre-Anne Mandato from École Marie-Clarac, Carlo Mandolini from the Collège André-Grasset; Dr. Catherine Mackenzie and Dr. George W. Mallory Harrison from Concordia University in Montréal; Dr. Nataliya Pilypiuk, Dr. Oleh Ilnytzkyj, Dr. Andriy Nahachewsky, Dr. Bohdan Medwidsky, Dr. Peter Rolland, Dr. Natalie Kononenko, and Dr. Anna Gural- Migdal from the University of Alberta; and lastly, Dr. Marcel Bénéteau from the University of Sudbury. All of the people mentioned above deserve a part of the success of this dissertation. They have all been an inspiration.