On 1 October 2020, the Rossiya Theatre hosted the opening
ceremony of the 5th
BRICS Film Festival within the 42nd Moscow International Film
Festival (MIFF).
The MIFF opening ceremony
began with a speech by Vladimir Medinsky, Presidential Aide, who read a welcome
address of Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation.
“It is comforting
that even the current difficult epidemiological situation couldn’t interfere
with your meeting in Moscow, and just like before, you are here to communicate
in warm, informal atmosphere, exchange creative plans and ideas and, most
importantly, to see the latest works by Russian and foreign directors, actors,
screenwriters and artists. The Moscow International Film Festival is rightfully
famous for the wonderful traditions of its warmth and hospitality, as well as
rich and eventful programme, showcasing films of various genres and schools.
And surely, the Festival ignites new stars and gives everyone unexpected and
pleasant surprises”, President Vladimir Putin noted in his message.
The BRICS Film Festival
opening ceremony began with a welcome address by Maria Zakharova, Official Spokesperson
of the Russian Foreign Ministry, who read out greetings to the organizers, participants
and guests of the Festival on behalf of Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister.
“Your film festival
makes a valuable contribution to the common effort – although being a
relatively new initiative, it has already won recognition among cinema lovers
and the public in general. It is hard to overestimate its importance for developing
professional contacts, promoting national films and, ultimately, strengthening
our five countries’ prestige in the global cultural landscape,” noted the
Foreign Minister in his message.
The competition
programme of the BRICS Film Festival consists of the following ten films:
1.
IN PIECES by Rui Guerra, Brazil
2.
THE SILENCE OF THE RAIN by Daniel Filho,
Brazil
3.
1956, CENTRAL TRAVANCORE by Don Palathara, India
4. BIRIYAANI by Sajin
Baabu, India
5.
RED GHOST by Andrei Bogatyrev, Russia
6.
BACK TO THE SARMATIAN STEPPE by Alexander Proshkin,
Russia
7.
ALL ABOUT ING by Huang Zi, China
8.
SATURDAY FICTION by Lou Ye, China
9.
POPPIE NONGENA by Christiaan Olwagen, South Africa
10. SALVATION by Carmen Sangion,
South Africa
The films will be judged
by the jury selected by the embassies of each country. It will be headed by
Russian filmmaker and cameraman Sergei Mokritsky who made the film “The Battle
for Sevastopol.” He took part in the first BRICS Film Festival in India and was
a jury member at the second one in China.
The five winners will
receive the following awards: Prize for Best Film, Special Jury Prize, Prize for Best
Director, Prize for Best Actor and Prize for Best Actress.
The films will be shown
in the October Cinema and Moskino cinemas.
The schedule of the showings is published on the official website.
The Roscongress Foundation, a socially oriented non-financial
development institution and a major organiser of
international conventions, congress, exhibitions, business, social and
sporting, public, and cultural events, is in charge of organising events as part of the Russian Federation’s
chairmanship in the BRICS association.
Official website of the Russian Federation’s chairmanship: brics-russia2020.ru.
