Aesthetics of identity and historical themes in screen arts

The article is devoted to the role of art in the formation of historical self-awareness as the basis of Russian identity. It is proposed to introduce a new concept into the analytical apparatus of the theory of identity – “aesthetics of identity”, which allows revealing unexplored aspects of identity associated with the emotional and figurative side of social thinking. From this angle, the subject matter of Russian screen production is considered, both its creative achievements and a certain limitation of the thematic range are noted. In particular, it is argued that Russian cinema has done relatively little for the artistic understanding of the era that ended the existence of imperial Russia. The deficit of high-quality screen products that present the viewer with aesthetically meaningful images of Russia during the late empire is associated with the inertia of some ideologically tendentious stereotypes of the Soviet era. Despite the considerable achievements of post-reform and pre-revolutionary Russia, despite the significant aesthetic potential of Russian life of that time, captured in painting and art photography, the modern screen is still in search of an aesthetic key to this important period. The conclusion is substantiated that without a comprehensive mastery of the artistic thinking of the era of the late empire, it is difficult to expect the emergence of aesthetic empathy, necessary for understanding the internal coherence of all Russian history and the formation of a full-fledged sense of unconditional involvement in it.