MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. Over 30 films have been put on the program of the 3rd International Festival of Proper Cinema, set to coincide with Victory Day, Lara Pomykanova, festival’s director said at a press conference at TASS.
"In total, over 140 submissions were received with 33 films selected for the competition," she said, noting that 20 more films will be shown as part of the festival's out-of-competition program. "We will show them in the regions: in cultural institutions, schools, in affiliates of the Victory Museum. From April 30 to May 10, we expect about 50 regions of the Russian Federation to take part in the festival, for now we keep receiving applications, so the final figure may be higher. New regions will also host screenings," Pomykanova added.
As part of the festival's non-competitive program, the audience will also be able to meet with the filmmakers, for example, the director of the film "Blockade. Always with me" Victoria Bazhenova. Also, the project "Heroes of the Country - Heroes of Sports" will present its movies, including the documentary "The Girl from the Blockaded Leningrad," "Dynamo. Leningrad," "Football during the Siege" and others.
This year’s festival is internationally recognized. Feature, animated, documentary full-length and short films, as well as military-patriotic and historical serials of 2022-2024, produced in Russia, former Soviet republics and foreign states will be shown.
The pieces of cinema will be judged by an international expert council headed by People's Artist of the Russian Federation, social activist Nikolay Burlyayev.
The expert council will select winners in 10 categories. These are Debut Movie, Best Director, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Animated Film, Best Script, Heroes of Our Time, Special Jury Prize, Victory Museum Prize and Grand Prix.
The Russian full-length animation "Pushkin... Mikhailovskoye. Beginning," which will be released in June, has been chosen as the opening film.
Moscow's Victory Museum will serve as the main venue; festival movies will also be shown in regional museums, cultural institutions and schools. The festival will be held from April 30 to May 10 in Moscow and Russian regions. TASS is the general information partner.