Evolving portrayal of teachers in Russian animation

INTRODUCTION. As society changes, so do the forms and strategies of education, the challenges faced by educators, and the perception of their role. These changes are reflected not only in sociological research, statistical data, and media sources, but also in works of screen art. Examining the portrayal of teachers in animation is relevant in light of the transformation of their role, functions, and significance in society.
MATERIALS AND METHODS. The research material includes more than 50 domestic animated films and series created from 1927 to 2024. The study employs the methods of frequency and comparative analysis, as well as contextual, thematic, and iconographic approaches, which allow for examining the iconography of images, the frequency of use of specific details, comparing images, and identifying constant and changing elements, as well as tracking the transformational changes in the portrayal of teachers in domestic animation.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, there has been a change in the perception of the teacher's image, which has transformed from a non-personal and sacred figure to a caricatured and mocking one. The roles of the teacher have also evolved, ranging from a mentor to a guide to a new world, from a knowledge-bearing figure and an organizer of the learning process to a supervisor and a punisher for academic negligence. The gendered portrait of a teacher is changing: the image of a male teacher, which was dominant in animation until the 1970s, is gradually being replaced by the image of a female teacher. In the portrayal of teachers, animation tends to use various comedic techniques and intonations, which can range from gentle irony and parody to outright mockery.
CONCLUSION. In domestic animation, the teacher's portrait is presented in a schematic manner and is based on stereotypical representations. The image of the teacher as the main character in the story has not yet been developed. In films, the teacher is almost always portrayed in secondary or episodic roles. Modern Russian animation portrays negative perceptions of teachers, which is associated with the decline in the profession's authority in society.