Cinema as a Way to Preserve the Traditions of Minor Ethnic Groups in Republic of Mordovia

The article examines feature and documentary cinematography as a way to preserve the ethnocultures of the indigenous peoples of Russia, and analyzes its impact on Russian culture and the culture of the Republic of Mordovia, in particular. An overview of the theories of Russian scientists (E.V. Aleksandrova, K.A. Kravchenko, E.O. Kranka, G.A. Kursheva, A.V. Pavlovskaya, P.A. Fedorova, etc.) is given to identify contemporary problems in society, the solution of which is facilitated by cinematography. Using the example of regional films about Mordovia and Yakutia, one of the most pressing problems is explored – the preservation and popularization of ancient traditions that have been brought to our days by native speakers of ethnic cultures, i.e. indigenous peoples living in provincial hinterlands. The authors express their opinion on the current state of visual anthropology, which integrates a scientific research approach into the metalanguage aesthetics of documentary films. The problems in the creation of documentary and feature films (financing, personnel problems, lack of film infrastructure) are outlined. It is concluded that the transmission of original traditions and rituals (using the national language) to representatives of other nationalities has a positive effect on the development of domestic tourism and the economy of the region. It is summarized that cinema promotes the popularization of knowledge about culture in a format accessible to the general public, but without involving new media in the coverage of ethnocultural traditions the culture of the small peoples of Russia (in particular, Mordovia) is in danger of extinction.