Surreal Language of Dreams: Dream Symbolism in Foreign Avant-Garde Cinema of the 20‒30s of the XX Century

Since the early 20th century, the theme of dreaming occupies a special place in visual culture, particularly in cinema, being at the intersection of artistic and philosophical disciplines. Avantgarde filmmakers recognized cinema as a medium capable of representing unconscious imagery and emotions, drawing upon the plasticity of dreams as an expressive language. Films inspired by the logic of dreams became laboratories for new screen forms, relying on associative thinking, symbolism, and the disruption of conventional narrative structures. This study aims to identify the visual and symbolic characteristics of dream representation in 20th century avantgarde cinema while examining their role in shaping emotional impact on viewers. The study employs a method of comprehensive analysis based on cultural studies, film theory, and psychoanalytic approaches. The research may be of interest not only to scholars of visual culture and film practitioners seeking to better understand the potential of dream imagery in screen arts but also to specialists in pedagogy working at the intersection of media practices and the humanities.