Sokolova Ekaterina Yu.

Due to the ongoing urbanization processes in Russia, young people are actively migrating from rural areas. An information policy that creates a positive image of the village and the population's perceptions can mitigate negative migration trends. The study aims to compare the cinematographic image of rural areas and small towns with their actual socio-economic condition, as shown in statistical indicators and the opinion of the residents of these territories. The study's scientific novelty constitutes the application of triangulation techniques to the problem of rural and small-town migration unattractiveness and the creation of a methodology for examining their representation in Russian cinema. The authors discovered that cinematography frequently depicts the one-sided technological and infrastructure deficiencies of small towns and villages, which cannot help viewers form a desire to live in such conditions. Statistics show that the studied localities have better conditions than depicted in the films in the spheres of digitalization, employment, education, local crime, and alcohol consumption.