The relevance of studying the theme of reflection of revolutionary changes in the value foundations of culture is directly related to the analysis of the spectrum of possibilities of intercultural interaction against the background of historical and cultural mutual influences which are emphasized by contemporary art. The most dramatic transformations of ethical assessments that took place during the "change of eras" of 1917 are analyzed in this article in the prism of Swiss documentary cinema. Comparative methodology, biographical method, categorical analysis and imagology techniques are used for that purpuse. Four films are highlighted. They tell about the Russian revolution through stories of specific Swiss people connected with the events of this period one way or another. These examples t race the connection between morality, ideology, religion and law, which raises the philosophical question of the role of violence in culture. The auther brings into discussion the philosophical views of N. A. Berdyaev on the religious role of Marxist ideology and F. M. Dostoevsky on the moral inevitability of punishment for a crime committed. The idea of the existence of a positive vector of searching for mutual understanding in conditions where violence is becoming an element of everyday life is put forward this way. It is emphasized that humanitarian cooperation between countries is acquiring an extremely important significance in the conditions of current geopolitical tension and the aggravation of interstate conflicts. Moreover artistic comprehension of the mistakes of the past can help in the search for adequate ways to respond to the challenges of modern times.