Prophets and Lessons
Alternate Title: Proroki i uroki
Directed by: Vyacheslav Kotyonochkin
year: 1967 10 minutes
With art direction by noted Soviet political caricaturist Boris Yefimov, PROPHETS AND LESSONS is a stylish variation on the usual Soviet propaganda themes of noble workers standing up to greedy capitalists. The film’s song-like structure alternates between Western prophecies of the USSR’s ruin and energetic live footage to the contrary. The Russian proletarian is shown to thrive in industry, battle and space exploration.
- Genres:
- International / Eurasian / Russian
- Animation / Cel & Hand-Drawn
- Documentary / Propaganda
- Short / Documentary
Related Films
Shooting Range
Tir
Dir. Vladimir Tarasov
(1979)
19 minutes
- Genres:
- International / Eurasian / Russian
- Animation / Cel & Hand-Drawn
- Short / Narrative
- Cult / Psychotronic
The American dream looks a lot like a nightmare in this kaleidoscopic Soviet animated film.
Fascist Boots on Our Homeland
Ne toptat fashistskomu sapogu nashey rodiny
Dir. Alexander Ivanov, Ivan Ivanov-Vano
(1941)
3 minutes
- Genres:
- International / Eurasian / Russian
- Animation / Cel & Hand-Drawn
- Documentary / Propaganda
- Short / Narrative
- War / WWII
FASCIST BOOTS ON OUR HOMELAND is a stark animated short that portrays the Soviet Union as the last bulwark against the Nazi advance.
To You, Moscow
Tebe, Moskva!
Dir. Grigori Lomidze
(1947)
18 minutes
- Genres:
- International / Eurasian / Russian
- Animation / Cel & Hand-Drawn
- Documentary / History
- Short / Documentary
Made to commemorate Moscow’s 800th anniversary, this lavishly colored animated short presents an historical panorama from early strivings to socialist revolution.
We'll Keep Our Eyes Peeled
Budem zorki
Dir. Nikolai Khodataev
(1927)
3 minutes
- Genres:
- International / Eurasian / Russian
- Animation / Cut-Out
- Documentary / Propaganda
- Short / Documentary
Billed as “a cinema-propaganda poster,” this 1927 short advocates the purchase of government bonds as a means to combat a British trade embargo.
China in Flames
Kitaj v ogne
Dir. Nikolai Khodataev, Zenon Komisarenko, Yuri Merkulov
(1925)
32 minutes
- Genres:
- International / Eurasian / Russian
- Animation / Cel & Hand-Drawn
- Animation / Cut-Out
- Documentary / Propaganda
- Short / Documentary
- Silent / Silent Documentary
CHINA IN FLAMES rallies popular support for the Soviet Union’s alliance with China using an eclectic array of animation techniques and rhetorical strategies.
Kino-Pravda XXI (excerpt)
Leninskaya Kino-Pravda: K godovshchine smerti Vladimira Ilicha Lenina
Dir. Dziga Vertov
(1925)
1 minute
- Genres:
- International / Eurasian / Russian
- Animation / Cel & Hand-Drawn
- Documentary / History
- Documentary / Politics
- Short / Documentary
This animated Soviet brevity, excised from the twenty-first episode of Dziga Vertov's Kino-Pravda series, dwells on the anniversary of the death of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.
Reviews
I love me some Soviet propaganda film. And not in some stupid ironic hipster way. I genuinely love this stuff.
Learn More
Explore Films
Popular Genres & Sub-Genres
Free Pass Offer!
Get a free 7-day pass when you connect with Facebook.
Share great films you find on Fandor with your friends.

Subscribe today.