The Ostern (Eastern; Russian: И́стерн, Istern; or остерн) or Red Western was a film genre created in the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc as a variation of the Western films that originated in the United States. The word "Ostern" is a portmanteau derived from the German word Ost, meaning "East", and the English word "western". The term now includes two related genres: While influenced by Westerns, Easterns form a specific and distinct genre.