Features of Nostalgia for the Soviet in the Fantastic Discourse of Russian Audivisual Culture

Nostalgia for the Soviet Union, an emotional reflection on the past of the USSR, has become an integral part of Russian culture since the mid-1990s. According to social surveys, many Russians often reflect on both the accomplished past and alternative scenarios for historical events during the Soviet period. This study examines the mechanisms and techniques employed to create a nostalgic image of the USSR in Russian audiovisual media, such as TV series and video games of a fantasy genre. In the first chapter, we present a theoretical foundation for research on nostalgia in modern culture, drawing on the work of prominent nostalgia theorists. We discuss the concept of nostalgia and its significance in contemporary society. We also examine the role of audiovisual media in shaping and maintaining nostalgia for the Soviet era.In the second part of this study, we analyze the implementation of the theoretical framework we have described in the empirical material chosen for research: the first seasons of the television series "Food Hall" and "The Other Side of the Moon", as well as video games "Atomic Heart", "Bug Dolls: Soviet Project" and "Escape from the 70s". We will conclude by discussing strategies for representing the Soviet past used by domestic developers and filmmakers. These strategies include the use of a wide range of Soviet myths relating to everyday life and culture, the perception of the era of stagnation as the "golden age" of the USSR, the representation of communist ideology and Soviet power as symbols of evil, the preference for dystopian images and narratives, and the contrast between artistic worlds, highlighting both the bright and dark aspects of national history.