Timothy Harte, Harvard University
In my paper, "The "Kino-Icon" in Dziga Vertov's The Man with the Movie Camera", I will argue that in formulating his unprecedented cinematic vision, Dziga Vertov adopted stylistic as well as thematic principles of the Russian Orthodox icon and put them to use on the screen. At the same time, he hoped that his art, created for mass audiences, could fill the void left by the abolition of icons in the Soviet state. By closely analyzing several scenes from The Man with the Movie Camera, I will demonstrate how Vertov both incorporated and undermined the religious image in his revolutionary cinematic vision. Furthermore, I will indicate how the director's utilization of constructivist and formalistic devices in The Man with the Movie Camera highlights the heightened, lofty role Vertov envisioned for his "kino-eye" in Soviet society.