The BFI companion to Eastern European and Russian cinema /

Although this title supplements the two other major English-language reference titles on eastern European and Russian cinema, it does not replace them: Directory of Eastern European Film-makers and Films, 1945-1991, ed. by Grzegorz Balski (CH, Feb'93) and Handbook of Soviet and East European Films and Filmmakers, ed. by Thomas J. Slater (1992). BFI Companion lists all persons, genres, film schools and organizations, country history material, and topical entries (e.g., "Women in Eastern European Cinema") in a single alphabet, followed by a brief bibliography. Some entries have more recent and detailed material than the earlier works (e.g., the entry on Angieska Holland), but others lack the depth of discussion found for their counterparts in Handbook or the thoroughness of film listings (often including student films and shorts) in Directory. Unevenness of coverage from one director or film to another is probably inevitable in works of this kind. Laudably, BFI Companion includes some topics omitted from the previous works (e.g., "Gypsies in East European Cinema"). A worthy addition to the reference canon. C. Hendershott New School for Social Research