MUMBAI, November 20. /TASS/. Russia is negotiating the issue of Kazakhstan’s participation in setting up the Eurasian film academy, which will have its own award, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Union of Cinematographers Oleg Ivanov told TASS on Friday. Ivanov has taken part in the first Days of Russian Cinema in Mumbai, India.
"We are currently discussing this issue with Kazakhstan where its own film academy is being created," he said.
According to him, the Eurasian film academy "should be open to other participating countries." "The most appropriate format is the open one, however, the issue has not been finalized yet," Ivanov added.
Head of the Cinema Department of the Russian Ministry of Culture Vyacheslav Telnov earlier said that the Eurasian film academy award was considered to be "an equivalent of the Academy Award."
"The film academy may begin its work in 2017, and its presentation will be held in 2016 during the Moscow International Film Festival," he said. "The date of the award commencement has not been defined yet. All three countries have already confirmed their intention to take part in the project. At present we expect proposals from India and China on who will be the founder on their part. On the Russian side it will be the National Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences."
The idea to set up a film award of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) was put forward by Indian Prime Minister Nadrendra Modi during the group’s summit in Ufa in July. Later the plans have been adjusted, and the countries began discussing the establishment of the awards by the three countries of the Eurasian film academy.