GOOD FILMS ARE COMING BACK IN RUSSIA
Moscow - Rome, 18 December, 2007
Russia's famous film festival "Radiant Angel" was launched in Moscow in 2005. Since that time the Festival is being held annually. Not so many people know that it was "Radiant Angel" where premiere of "Island"(Russia's most popular film in 2007) took place in 2006.
The Festival was founded by Institute of expertise of educational programmes and government - confessions relations. At the moment the Festival is supported by Russian President Administration, National Federation Council and Parliament, Moscow city government, Ministry of culture and mass communication, some other governmental, religious and public organizations. Festival aims at revival of Russia's national children's, juvenile and family cinema, strengthening of cooperation with authors and producers of children's films , stimulating of good film industry development. Festival selective committee accepts for the Festival only films approving the ideals of Good, Beauty and Love.
In 2007 over 140 films were selected for the Festival public programme: short films, documentaries, fiction films, retrospective films (classic of Russian cinematograph). The competition programme consisted of 8 fiction, 23 documentaries and 4 animated films. More than ten thousand film goers visited "Radiant Angel" in 2007.
The IV International charity film festival "Radiant Angel" was held in 2007 in Moscow on November 1-10 at Moscow Cinema House. It was supported by "MOSOBLBANK ltd.". General informational partner of the Festival was Russian information agency RIA Novosti.
The opening ceremony was crowned by a real jewel - animated movie "My Love", directed by Oscar winner Alexander Petrov. This touching animated film, based on Ivan Shmelev story "The Story of Love", won the Grand Prix of "Radiant Angel" this year.
During the Festival the administration held two "round tables" that were warmly accepted by Russian public - "Living Soul in cotemporary cinema" and "Heroes and characters of modern films".
The Festival was actually thought and created as one of the most effective tools for implementation of National programme "Moral and ethical culture of Russia's young generation". The programme's primary task is to introduce young Russian citizen to Fatherland moral and spiritual legacy.
It is hard to overestimate the support provided to the Festival by Supervising Council of the above mentioned National programme. At the moment the Council is headed by Mrs Svetlana MEDVEDEVA, Russia's leading lady (spouse of Russia's current Vice Prime Minister and possible future President - Anatoly MEDVEDEV).
The 2007 year Festival meant the extension of demonstration facilities. Film goers could get acquainted with festival programme at five Moscow cinema centers. Before the Festival started its leaders proposed a slogan - "The GOOD films are coming back!". The slogan was heartedly supported by the audience.
On November 12 the Festival was officially closed by a special ceremony headed by Patriarch of Russian Orthodox Church Alexis II.
The ceremony was attended by archbishop Eugene Vereysky, Russia's President representative in Central Federal District Georgy POLTAVCHENKO, Chairman of Supervising Council of National programme "Moral and ethical culture of Russia's young generation" Svetlana MEDVEDEVA, head of Festival judges committee, Russia's people's actress, Elena VASILEVA, other Russia's key public persons and media.
At the closing ceremony Svetlana MEDVEDEVA was awarded by Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch to an order of St. Olga Equal to the Apostles (Second Class).
"Radiant Angel" 2007 prize-winner's list:
- Grand Prix - animated film "My Love", director - Oscar winner Alexander PETROV.
- Prize for "The best documentary" - "The Rib. Artist's wife portrait with an epoch as a background" (directed by Valery ZOLOTUHA and Galina LEONTIEVA).
- Prize for "Original realization of patriotic theme"- fiction film "Regiment, attention!" (directed by Boris LIZNEV).
- Prize for "The deep understanding and disclosure of orthodox sacred object's spiritual essence " -documentary "Image of Queen of Heaven" (director - Dmitry DEMIN).
- Prize "For the bright realization of the theme of Russia's spiritual revival" - fiction film "11 letters to God " (directed by Akim SALBIEV).
- Prize "For realization of character of contemporary monk's selfless existence" -documentary "Father Mihey's Cosmos" (director - Alexander KUPRIN).
- Prize "For realization of miracle of the belief" - documentary "Crystal boy" (directed by Alexander TYAPOV).
- Auditory choice prize - fiction film "Vanechka" (directed by Elena NIKOLAEVA).
Festival brief analysis proves positive tendencies. Media coverage was unexpectedly warm, film directors and cinema opinion leaders were seriously attracted by festival's competitive programme. The Festival was gladly accepted by Russian Orthodox Church.
After the competitive programme Festival administration conducted a small scale public opinion review. The opinion poll almost exactly fit Festival judges committee decisions:
- "Vanechka" (directed by Elena NIKOLAEVA)- 4,823%,
- "The First Russian" (directed by Vladimir LEVIN) - 4,823%,
- "Korolev" (directed by Yuri KARA) - 4,8%,
- "Yarik" (directors - Sessile Anry, Alexander Laslo) - 4,748%,
- "Double family name" (directed by Stanislav MITIN) - 4,722%,
- "The Merciful" (directed by Alexander NAUMOV) - 4,658%,
- "11 letters to God " (directed by Akim SALBIEV) - 4, 5%.
Full report of the opinion poll will be presented later this year.
As for the future year's goals Festival directors see them in the field of implementation of "Festival's Echo" project. The project is thought to be launched in several Russian cities - St. Petersburg, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Belgorod, Khanty-Mansyisk.
Festival introduction at the international level is viewed as the most important task. Festival activities are scheduled for France, Greece, Latvia, Serbia and Italy.
Festival administration also considers creation of specialized TV programmes, launches of special TV channels and movie theaters - dedicated for the GOOD films.
Indeed "Radiant Angel" proves to be perspective and really demanded - time for the good films to come back!
