Paper short abstract:

This report explores the Japanese imperial movies concerning Russian emigrants' life and domesticity in Manchuria. The "Russians" in this film are not episodic, but the main characters. We explore how Japanese propaganda was using Russian emigrants to create an image of the happy life in Manchuria.

Paper long abstract:

This presentation explores Japanese imperial films made during WWII concerning Russian emigrants' everyday life and domesticity in Manchuria and Japan. The critical point is that "Russians" in all these films are not episodic but the main characters.

In this presentation, we focus on representing the "females' characters" in the film called "My Nightingale," made by the Man'ei film studio in 1942. "My Nightingale" ("Watashi-no-uguisu"), being de facto the first Japanese film musical, was considered lost for many years and remains unknown to the general public.

The leading roles in this film are played not by actors but by ordinary members of the Russian emigration community living in Manchuria: former officers of the Russian imperial army and women with an aristocratic background. Also, the leading Japanese character played by "the star of the era" of Manchu cinema, Yamaguchi Yoshiko, was somehow impacted by Russian culture. She is not only speaking but also sings romances exclusively in Russian throughout the entire film.

In this presentation, we explore how Japanese propaganda was using Russian emigrants to create an image of the happy domestic life of the Russian community in Manchuria.