The Key Art Strategies of “Soyuzmultfilm” in 1944-1946 Years

A comment to the history of Soyuzmultfilm. The short period in the history of the domestic animation from the late wartime up to the period known as “fight against a disneevshchina” and a “malokartinye” has not been sufficiently analyzed yet and has not gained fundamental historical and theoretical assessment. Basing upon archival documents, the author fills up this gap. The author dwells on the key events and important art strategies and administrative actions for resuscitation of the main center of the important branch of cinema in the post-war years. The author traces history of restoration of Soyuzmultfilm studio since the summer of 1944 when the Committee on of the cinema affairs of SNK USSR appointed the enthusiast of the Soviet doll animation Alexander Ptushko as the artistic director and the director of Soyuzmultfilm. Basing upon archival stuff, the author describes the process of establishing regular release of the movies, formations of crews of highly skilled masters as well as features of development of new technology of color cinema and a thematic plan. Just during this period the innovative crew of animators sprang into being, such films were created as films Konek-gorbunok by I. Vano, Spring melodies by D. Babichenko and A joy song by M. Pashchenko - the first picture of the studio, winning the international prize (8th Venice MFF, 1947). The author pinpoints the key art strategies and advances historical and theoretical assessment of the important period in the history of Russian animation.