ABSTRACT
The discourse of a rigid confrontation between the East and West of Europe during the existence of the Soviet Union has gradually been replaced with one of interaction and intricate exchanges. This chapter looks at cinema as a site of such cultural conversations. In particular, the authors' aim is to contribute to the ongoing discussion on the inherent kinship of cinematic expression on both sides of the Iron Curtain. The chapter draws on John Urry's notion of the tourist gaze, applying this conceptual framework to case studies that in one way or another function as intersections of Eastern and Western cinespheres. It explains that some cities in the Soviet bloc were singled out to play a special, tourist function. The chapter examines how the gaze changes if the cinematic product is made in co-production between East and West. It focuses on films made in the countries around the Baltic Sea.
