During his lifetime, Dziga Vertov was among the most innovative filmmakers encompassing the richest generation of Soviet film history spanning from 1918 well into the 1930’s and 40’s. ... Vertov was no exception. However, because of his unscrupulous dedication and unique methods operating within the filmmaking boundaries of Soviet socialist realism, Vertov’s work is now considered the foundation of what has become today’s documentary form of cinema verite. Perhaps misunderstood by peers struggling to grasp concepts pressing the boundaries of their time, Dziga Vertov and his contributions to the art of filmmaking will forever remain treasured building blocks in the continually expanding methods of the moving picture.
The Young Filmmaker
Born Denis Arkadyevich Kaufman in the Russian province of Bialystok in 1896, Dziga Vertov changed his name to the latter as a result of his growing fascination with futurism and science fiction. The word “Dziga” was derived as a representation of the sound created by the mechanical motion picture camera of his generation. “Vertov” is a form of a verb meaning to spin or rotate. ...
Before becoming the avid filmmaker known as Vertov, Denis Kaufman briefly studied music at the Bialystok Conservatory before fleeing to Moscow with his family to avoid the invasion of the German army. ... Then, carrying the name of Dziga Vertov the aspiring filmmaker joined the Film Committee of the People’s Commissariat of Public Education in Gnezdnikovsky Street in Moscow, becoming editor of the first newsreel programs produced by the Soviet Government: Kinonedelia (Film-Week) (Michelson, O’Brien p. xxii)
It is important to note that Vertov’s first engagement in film was the role of editor of a factual news program. Modern film scholars consider his pioneering editing techniques and dedication toward advancing the art of capturing the realistic portrayal of factual life as the undying link between Vertov’s kino-pravda (film truth) and the modern documentary variation of the cineme verite explosion of the 1960s that continues to thrive today.
Dziga Vertov and a Dedication to Truth
After the Revolution of 1917, V. ... Lenin declared cinema the most important medium for the education and instruction of the masses of the Soviet population. ...
As a filmmaker, Dziga Vertov possesses a strict dedication, approaching obsession, which establishes distinct methods for capturing only the truth of the world for viewing audiences that simultaneously disenchanted him from the critical masses of his time.
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