London in thrall to Russian rhythms
London’s first ever Russian Film Festival kicks off September 27 with Ivan Vyrypaev’s 2006 Venice awarded Euphoria. The festival aims to showcase the work of a new generation of Russian filmmakers that reflect the hopes and anxieties of a renewed, contemporary Russia.
Other highlights of the festival include Kirill Serebrennikov’s Playing the Victim (winner of the ex-acqueo Best Film award at last year’s RomeFilmFest, see news), Pavel Lungin’s multiple award-winning The Island, Vera Storosheva’s Travelling With Pets, Renata Litvinova’s Goddess: How I Fell in Love and Anna Melikian’s Mermaid.
The festival also features a strand of contemporary Russian animation and Valeria Gai Germanika’s documentary diptych Girls and Boys.
Ambassador of Russia to the UK Yury Fedotov said, “The British public is being offered the opportunity to discover the latest achievements Russian cinema has to offer and through them obtain a vivid insight into Russia today. I am certain many of our compatriots will also take this opportunity to see these films on the big screen, as they have become events of notable cultural value in Russia.”
The festival is organised by the Academia Rossica, London and Sovexport Film, Moscow and is supported by the Russian Federal Agency of Culture and Cinematography (RFACC) and the Russian Embassy in London. The films will show at the newly refurbished Apollo West End cinemas till October 3.
Mikhail Shvydkoy, head of the RFACC, said, “I am certain that audiences will be delighted and pleasantly surprised by this programme of action-packed and entertaining films which are attracting the attention of specialists and cinephiles, but are also intended for a mass audience.”
A British Film Festival in Moscow, organised by the British Council, will follow the Russian Film Festival.
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