Official actions
Russian America alive at Fort Ross
12.08.2011 08:58
http://english.ruvr.ru/ The Voice of Russia
Tatyana Zavyalova
Apr 4, 2011
Photo: RIA Novosti
Two movies at once - the documentary "Russian America" and the feature film "Fort Ross" - will be made by 2012, to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the fortress built by Russian colonists in North America in the first half of the 19th century. Jubilee celebrations will take place both in Russia and the US. Tatyana Zavyalova reports.
A location for the fortress and the Russian settlement named Fort Ross was not found straight away. Counselor Ivan Kuskov of the Russian-American Company and 25 Russian colonists accompanied by 90 Aleutians landed here in the spring of 1812. A fortified settlement was erected within a short period of time after the entire area was acquired from the natives for "three blankets, three pairs of breeches, two axes, three hoes, and some beads." The Russians got along with the Indians quite well, providing them with work and protecting them from attacks. The author of the Fort Ross historical adventure novel and scriptwriter for the future film, Dmitry Poletayev, confessed that he was simply fascinated by history of the first Russian settlement in North California:
"This land, named Russian America, spread to North California. Very few people know that there was a fortress on the "Slavyanka" (now known as the Russian River), which defended the southern borders of this vast area. And I started to realize that this land belonged not to Russia, but to the Russian-American Company to be more precise. As we know, it was set up with the assistance of Nikolai Rezanov, the Chamberlain of Tsar Alexander I," Dmitry Poletayev said.
Russian colonists sought out fur all over the territory of Russian America, traded with local dwellers and engaged in agricultural activities in California, raising stock, growing grain, planting magnificent orchards and vineyards. They were the first to build dockyards and wind mills, and iron, copper and wood works. Despite their successes, the Russian-American Company turned out to be very unprofitable, with too much money spent on imported groceries and army maintenance. Fort Ross as a stronghold and settlement existed until the Russians left in 1841. And in 1867, Russia sold Alaska and the Aleutian archipelago to the United States.
The "Russian America" movie is being filmed on the Aleutian Islands because they are closely connected to the history of the family of popular actor Dmitry Kharatyan, who is also one of the project's authors. Having started tracing his family tree, he found out that one of his ancestors - Stepan Gomzyakov - took part in activities of the Russian-American Company and was married to an Aleutian girl. Their granddaughter is Dmitry Kharatyan's great-grandmother.
"Near the islands of Umalashka and Unmak there is another island - Unga. Stepan Gomzyakov lived here - he was the manager of this island. It means that I actually have some Aleutian blood in my veins," Dmitry Kharatyan said.
As for the feature film, it will be made at the stronghold located in the Fort Ross State Historic Park. Nearly all buildings here are reconstructions, except for the house of the last fortress governor. Fort Ross is as precious to California residents as to the people of Russia. In 2009, a wave of protests spread around the state following the decision of the authorities to cut off funding for the monument. As a result, the site was retained.
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