Russian Jews Part Two 1918-1948

Synopsis

This is the second part of a documentary trilogy that charts the fascinating and complex history of the Jewish community in Russia throughout the centuries. Created and presented by leading Russian journalist Leonid Parfyonov, Russian Jews focuses on both the good and bad times, shedding new light on Jewish contribution to the country and its culture. The second film focuses on the 30-year period between 1918-1948, during which Jews took active part in Russian society, helping shape the country's political and cultural spheres. Among the Jewish leaders whose lives and careers are explored in the film are Leon Trotsky, Marc Chagall, Sergey Eisenstein, classical musicians Matvei Blanter and Isaak Dunaevsky and Isaak Babel, all important contributors to the great Soviet project.