Person
Roman Karmen
Odessa, Russian Empire
Roman Karmen (1906–1978) was a pioneering Soviet film director, war cinematographer, documentary filmmaker, journalist, screenwriter, pedagogue, and publicist. Born Efraim Leyzoro…
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Roman Karmen (1906–1978) was a pioneering Soviet film director, war cinematographer, documentary filmmaker, journalist, screenwriter, pedagogue, and publicist. Born Efraim Leyzorovich Korenman, Karmen became one of the most prominent figures in Soviet cinema, known for his exceptional contributions to war documentation and his ability to capture history in the making. He began his career as a journalist before transitioning to filmmaking, where his early work focused on documenting revolutionary events and political developments. Karmen's most notable contributions were as a war cinematographer during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, where he filmed key moments from the frontlines, including the Soviet Union’s involvement in the Spanish war and the Nazi invasions. He was a close collaborator with Soviet authorities and a key figure in Soviet newsreels, documenting not only the war but also the victories and cultural milestones of the USSR. Karmen’s work was instrumental in shaping Soviet film as a tool for propaganda and national identity, using his camera to amplify the Soviet narrative of heroism, triumph, and unity. He was also involved in film education, teaching at VGIK (All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography) and inspiring future generations of filmmakers. Karmen's legacy as a documentarian is cemented in his works, which captured pivotal moments in Soviet history and continue to serve as an important visual record of the 20th century.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
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2023
Filmmakers for the Prosecution
Movie Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
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2006
With Roman Karmen. Travel in the Youth
Movie Archive footage
- 2002
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1987
Roman Karmen Whom We Do And Do Not Know
Movie Archive footage
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1978
The Unknown War
TV show Director
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1976
Distant and Close Skies
Movie Narrator
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1975
Grenada, Grenada, My Grenada
Movie Director
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1972
Blazing Continent
Movie Writer
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1969
Двадцать пятый сентябрь
Movie Director
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1969
Comrade Berlin
Movie Writer
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1966
Death of the Commissary
Movie Director
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1966
World Without a Game
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1966
Cinerama's Russian Adventure
Movie Director
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1965
The Great Patriotic War
Movie Writer
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1963
The Magic Beam
Movie Writer
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1963
Guest from the Island of Freedom
Movie Director
More credits
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1963
To Die in Madrid
Movie Archival Footage Coordinator
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1961
Island Ablazed
Movie Camera Operator
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1959
Sea Conquerors
Movie Director
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1958
Great Is My Country
Movie Director
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1955
Vietnam
Movie Writer
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1953
The Caspian Story
Movie Director
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1952
USSR Air Fleet Day
Movie Camera Operator
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1946
Nuremberg Trials
Movie Director
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1946
Албания
Movie Director
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1946
Film Documents of the Atrocities of the German Fascist Invaders
Movie Camera Operator
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1945
The Fall of Berlin
Movie Camera Operator
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1945
Albania
Movie Director
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1944
Majdanek - Cemetery of Europe
Movie Camera Operator
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1943
Leningrad in Struggle
Movie Director
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1943
Oryol Battle
Movie Additional Photography
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1942
To Protect Native Moscow
Movie Camera Operator
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1941
One Day in Soviet Russia
Movie Director
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1941
China Is Fighting
Movie Director
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1940
Our Cinema
Movie (archive footage)
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1939
Spain
Movie Director
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1937
Spain 1936
Movie Camera Operator
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1936
K Sobytijam v Ispanii
Movie Director
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1933
Moskva–Karakum–Moskva
Movie Director
