The article examines the use of authentic video materials, in particular serial discourse, as an effective tool for developing students’ communicative and sociocultural competencies in the context of the competency-based approach to teaching Russian as a foreign language (RFL). Special attention is paid to the role of cultural context and national stereotypes in intercultural communication.  The aim of the study is to describe the Russian cultural context and its reflection in feature films and television series, as well as its influence on the development of communicative skills in students of Russian as a foreign language. The article provides an example of a lesson plan for B1-level students, demonstrating the practical significance of integrating serial content into RFL teaching. The results of the study include identification of foreign speaker reactions to persistent stereotypes about Russia and the Russians (using the series «How I Became Russian» as an example), collective reflection in the course of pedagogical work on fragments of the shown series, and improvement of the students’ communicative competence in verbalizing specific topics of a linguacultural focus.