Page 5 - Bitter Icons

forgetting of memory (J. Assmann 2011:17). In the same way, I would venture to think that

popular culture, like films and literature, can in some capacity store and trigger memories of
past events, the problem perhaps, is that these are often not “real memories” or communicative

memories as the events or people they portray could be distorted and biased by the writer or
director’s vision. On the other hand, often we cannot even trust our own memories of events,

especially when the events in question are also mediated, as Sturken notes (2008:74–75).
Secondly, what are the distinctions between the various terms such as cultural, collective and

communicative memory. The term cultural memory was introduced in the late 1980s by Aleida

and Jan Assmann (Erll 2011:27). Erll (2011:28) shows that the Assman’s theory of cultural
memory is indebted to Halbwach’s theories and stresses “…the difference between a collective

memory that is based on everyday interaction and communication and a collective memory that
is more institutionalized and rests on rituals and media.” (Erll 2011:28) The theory of cultural

memory has since its introduction evolved. The field of memory studies is relatively new and

very trans-disciplinary which involves fields like history, sociology, media studies and psychol-
ogy among others. It is media and memory which is our focus and the aspects of international

or global icon and transnational memories which we shall delve into later. As Erll (2008:389)
points out: “Cultural memory is based on communication through media.” And further on the

notes: “Fictional media, such as novels and feature films, are characterized by their power to

shape the collective imagination of the past that is truly fascinating for the literary scholar (and
somewhat alarming for the historian).” (Erll 2008:389) It is fascinating to study the power of

fiction in relation to memory and thus I shall now introduce the film Bitter Harvest.

Introducing Bitter Harvest
Before I start the analysis, I would like to use the following section to briefly introduce the film

and map the different actors that appear, how they relate to each other and how the two sides

are depicted.

The films main character is Yuri (Max Hastings) who lives in a Ukrainian village which is the
setting for a large part of the movie. He is an artist that does drawing and painting. His childhood

love Natalka (Samantha Barks) is the other lead. Then there is Yuri’s father Yaroslav (Barry

Pepper) and his grandfather Ivan (Terence Stamp) which is the village leader. Then you have
Yuri’s friend Mykola (Aneurin Barnard) which also plays an important part in the movie. Other

characters are Stalin (Gary Oliver) and his stooge Sergei (Tamer Hassan). It is around these
characters most of the drama revolves.

4