On April 27, the closing ceremony of the 45th Moscow International Film Festival took place in the Rossiya Theater. Among those walking the red carpet to the theater were the jury members and participants of the MIFF competition programs, as well as the actresses Alena Babenko, Svetlana Stepankovskaya, Elizaveta Ishenko, Alyona Mikhailova, Dina Korzun, Irina Bezrukova, Elena Zakharova, the actors Kuzma Saprykin, Dmitry Dyuzhev, the TV host Mikhail Galustyan, the writer, scriptwriter Aleksandr Tsypkin, Masha Lobanova, Ekaterina Volkova, Anna Banchikova, Nataliya Bardo, Lyanka Gryu etc.
The director and producer Pyotr Buslov hosted the ceremony. The first Festival prize was awarded for the best short film. The Italian director Giorgio Cugno announced the winner. He stressed that the award was given "for an original story, strong energy, and a romantic approach to the important theme".
Silver St. George for the best short film – "Everything", China, directed by Lu Helai
"For me it is a great honor to receive this award. A big thank you to Moscow, this cinema capital, and to the audience for their warmth. Let the light of cinema protect us throughout our life", noted the director Lu Helai receiving the award.
The Jury Chair Hao Yun awarded the prize for the best documentary: "Documentary cinema reflects how creators observe the society and among these films there are those making us think of loneliness and dreams in a tight space, of a guilty verdict and art liberation, of soul and great love reaching beyond borders".
Silver St. George for the best documentary – "The Vladimir Central"
The producers Igor Mishin, Angelina Ashman and the director Julia Bobkova received the award. "The film we made changed me both personally and professionally",- noted Julia Bobkova.
All the jury members – the actress Anna Snatkina, the scriptwriter Andrey Zolotarev, and the Jury Chair, the director Aleksey Uchitel – walked to the stage to award the prize for the best film of the Russian Premieres Competition. They first announced the special jury mentions: "Sincere and Audacious Debut" for the film "Secret Passion" directed by Stacy Venkova and "Bright Debut with a Unique Cast" for "Montevideo Unit" directed by Tatyana Lyutaeva. Then the main award was announced.
Silver St. George for the best film of the Russian Premieres Competition – "The Edge of the Broken Moon", Russia, directed by Svetlana Samoshina.
"This award is very valuable for our entire team. I would especially like to thank Natasha Meschaninova, without her the film would not have been made. Many thanks also to my art director Andrey Proshkin and mentor Bakur Bakuradze, the producers Alexander Kotelevsky and Andrei Novikov. And to the actors, the crew and, of course, the audience. A director's greatest fortune is to hear how people first laugh and then stay silent for a long time living through the experience shown in our film", noted Svetlana Samoshina.
Silver St. George for the best actress – Kaho Seto, "Drifting Flowers, Flowing Days", Japan
The Kazakh actress Samal Yeslyamova, a member of the Main Competition Jury, awarded the prize. "I am deeply happy to receive the award at a festival with such a history. Thank you to the actors playing the lead parts in our film. I hope this award will help us show the film to more people", said the director of the film Yutaka Tsunemachi.
Silver St. George for the best actor – Fernando Arze, "The Ones form Below", Uruguay, Columbia, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia
The Russian actress, a member of the Main Competition Jury Svetlana Ivanova awarded the prize. "Fernando Arze is not just the best Bolivia's actor, he is the best world's actor. A great thanks for this award", said the director Alejandro Quiroga receiving the prize.
Special Jury Prize, Silver St. George – "Phi 1.618", Bulgaria, Canada, directed by Theodore Ushev
The jury member, the Columbian director and scriptwriter Ciro Guerra: "We want to say a big thank you for the original plot, the creative risk and quest, which is an important feature of international film festivals".
Silver St. George for the best director – "Black Moon", Mexico, directed by Tonatiuh Garcia
The jury member, the actor Aleksey Guskov awarded the prize. "Our film is dedicated to all people fighting for their own natural resources. Making the film, we wanted to show that cinema has no borders. This is confirmed by the audience choice award we also received here", noted the director Tonatiuh Garcia.
Golden St. George for the best film – "Three Brothers", Chile, Argentina, directed by Francisco Paparella
The Jury Chair, the Indian filmmaker Rahul Rawail awarded the main prize: "The film winning at the Festival offers a very strong story, outstanding acting, visual design, and all the elements, which make a heartbreaking film".
"I am incredibly honored to receive this award considering the incredible films featured at the competition. I want to say a huge thank you to the producers and the whole team. I am inspired by Moscow because I have not only been to the film festival, but also to the Dostoyevsky Museum. "The Brothers Karamazov" inspired me in many ways when I was working on this film", said the director Francisco Paparella receiving the award.
Wrapping up the ceremony, the President of the Festival Nikita Mikhalkov thanked the jury members, the audience, adding that more than 200 films were shown in 10 Moscow cinemas during the Festival. During the week 38 thousand viewers and 15 hundred media representatives visited the Festival. According to the tradition, Nikita Mikhalkov also presented the Honorary Festival Prize.
Golden St. George for the Contribution into the World Cinema Art – the director, producer, Director General, Mosfilm Film Company Karen Shakhnazarov
"Moscow Film Festival played an important role in my life. It used to open the great cinema world for us. Right here we watched the films by Kurosawa, Kapoor, Antonioni, Fellini, Truffaut. By the way, it was the Moscow Festival where I received the main guiding message. My parents watched Stanley Kramer's film and my mother came up to him and asked to write a message for her son – back then, I had just started studying at the directors' department of VGIK – and Kramer wrote just one word "patience". Mom handed me this piece of paper, and I got disappointed. And now, having lived through my life, I understand this was the right word, because patience, perseverance, striving to achieve your goals, resilience, and sincerity – this is through what your audience would understand you. So, my mom did the right thing approaching Stanley Kramer after all", said Karen Shakhnazarov receiving the award.
MERCURY JEWELLERY – OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE 45TH MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Mercury Jewellery becomes a partner of the Moscow International Film Festival, continuing the tradition of supporting the most significant cultural events in Russia.
Mercury Jewellery created the main prizes of the film festival – figurines depicting St. George riding a silver horse, striking a dragon with a spear. The figure of the «Golden George» is made of gold plated silver and the figure of the «Silver George» is made of silver. The base of the figurine is made of a blue elvan stone, on which the golden Mercury logo is.
«Golden George» is awarded for «The best film of the competition program» and «For contribution to the world cinema». The winners in seven nominated programs are awarded «Silver George».
As a mark of respect and recognition of the special chairman’s jury role of the Moscow International Film Festival, Mercury Jewellery has created a chain with three gold plated silver medallions depicting the main symbols of Moscow – the Spasskaya Tower, St. Basil's Cathedral and St. George.
A special prize for conquering the peaks of acting and fidelity to school of K. S. Stanislavsky principles «I believe. Konstantin Stanislavsky» has the original design.
Mercury Jewellery brand is known for its elegant and classic jewelry design, high-quality gemstones with international certification, as well as the skillful work of its gemologists, gemsetters and goldsmiths. All Mercury jewels are made of gold and gemstones: diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. The brand's collection proudly contains unique precious stones and high jewellery pieces. All gemstones are internationally certified, the jewellery is accompanied by a Mercury’s certificate of authenticity.
The director and producer Pyotr Buslov hosted the ceremony. The first Festival prize was awarded for the best short film. The Italian director Giorgio Cugno announced the winner. He stressed that the award was given "for an original story, strong energy, and a romantic approach to the important theme".
Silver St. George for the best short film – "Everything", China, directed by Lu Helai
"For me it is a great honor to receive this award. A big thank you to Moscow, this cinema capital, and to the audience for their warmth. Let the light of cinema protect us throughout our life", noted the director Lu Helai receiving the award.
The Jury Chair Hao Yun awarded the prize for the best documentary: "Documentary cinema reflects how creators observe the society and among these films there are those making us think of loneliness and dreams in a tight space, of a guilty verdict and art liberation, of soul and great love reaching beyond borders".
Silver St. George for the best documentary – "The Vladimir Central"
The producers Igor Mishin, Angelina Ashman and the director Julia Bobkova received the award. "The film we made changed me both personally and professionally",- noted Julia Bobkova.
All the jury members – the actress Anna Snatkina, the scriptwriter Andrey Zolotarev, and the Jury Chair, the director Aleksey Uchitel – walked to the stage to award the prize for the best film of the Russian Premieres Competition. They first announced the special jury mentions: "Sincere and Audacious Debut" for the film "Secret Passion" directed by Stacy Venkova and "Bright Debut with a Unique Cast" for "Montevideo Unit" directed by Tatyana Lyutaeva. Then the main award was announced.
Silver St. George for the best film of the Russian Premieres Competition – "The Edge of the Broken Moon", Russia, directed by Svetlana Samoshina.
"This award is very valuable for our entire team. I would especially like to thank Natasha Meschaninova, without her the film would not have been made. Many thanks also to my art director Andrey Proshkin and mentor Bakur Bakuradze, the producers Alexander Kotelevsky and Andrei Novikov. And to the actors, the crew and, of course, the audience. A director's greatest fortune is to hear how people first laugh and then stay silent for a long time living through the experience shown in our film", noted Svetlana Samoshina.
Silver St. George for the best actress – Kaho Seto, "Drifting Flowers, Flowing Days", Japan
The Kazakh actress Samal Yeslyamova, a member of the Main Competition Jury, awarded the prize. "I am deeply happy to receive the award at a festival with such a history. Thank you to the actors playing the lead parts in our film. I hope this award will help us show the film to more people", said the director of the film Yutaka Tsunemachi.
Silver St. George for the best actor – Fernando Arze, "The Ones form Below", Uruguay, Columbia, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia
The Russian actress, a member of the Main Competition Jury Svetlana Ivanova awarded the prize. "Fernando Arze is not just the best Bolivia's actor, he is the best world's actor. A great thanks for this award", said the director Alejandro Quiroga receiving the prize.
Special Jury Prize, Silver St. George – "Phi 1.618", Bulgaria, Canada, directed by Theodore Ushev
The jury member, the Columbian director and scriptwriter Ciro Guerra: "We want to say a big thank you for the original plot, the creative risk and quest, which is an important feature of international film festivals".
Silver St. George for the best director – "Black Moon", Mexico, directed by Tonatiuh Garcia
The jury member, the actor Aleksey Guskov awarded the prize. "Our film is dedicated to all people fighting for their own natural resources. Making the film, we wanted to show that cinema has no borders. This is confirmed by the audience choice award we also received here", noted the director Tonatiuh Garcia.
Golden St. George for the best film – "Three Brothers", Chile, Argentina, directed by Francisco Paparella
The Jury Chair, the Indian filmmaker Rahul Rawail awarded the main prize: "The film winning at the Festival offers a very strong story, outstanding acting, visual design, and all the elements, which make a heartbreaking film".
"I am incredibly honored to receive this award considering the incredible films featured at the competition. I want to say a huge thank you to the producers and the whole team. I am inspired by Moscow because I have not only been to the film festival, but also to the Dostoyevsky Museum. "The Brothers Karamazov" inspired me in many ways when I was working on this film", said the director Francisco Paparella receiving the award.
Wrapping up the ceremony, the President of the Festival Nikita Mikhalkov thanked the jury members, the audience, adding that more than 200 films were shown in 10 Moscow cinemas during the Festival. During the week 38 thousand viewers and 15 hundred media representatives visited the Festival. According to the tradition, Nikita Mikhalkov also presented the Honorary Festival Prize.
Golden St. George for the Contribution into the World Cinema Art – the director, producer, Director General, Mosfilm Film Company Karen Shakhnazarov
"Moscow Film Festival played an important role in my life. It used to open the great cinema world for us. Right here we watched the films by Kurosawa, Kapoor, Antonioni, Fellini, Truffaut. By the way, it was the Moscow Festival where I received the main guiding message. My parents watched Stanley Kramer's film and my mother came up to him and asked to write a message for her son – back then, I had just started studying at the directors' department of VGIK – and Kramer wrote just one word "patience". Mom handed me this piece of paper, and I got disappointed. And now, having lived through my life, I understand this was the right word, because patience, perseverance, striving to achieve your goals, resilience, and sincerity – this is through what your audience would understand you. So, my mom did the right thing approaching Stanley Kramer after all", said Karen Shakhnazarov receiving the award.
MERCURY JEWELLERY – OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE 45TH MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Mercury Jewellery becomes a partner of the Moscow International Film Festival, continuing the tradition of supporting the most significant cultural events in Russia.
Mercury Jewellery created the main prizes of the film festival – figurines depicting St. George riding a silver horse, striking a dragon with a spear. The figure of the «Golden George» is made of gold plated silver and the figure of the «Silver George» is made of silver. The base of the figurine is made of a blue elvan stone, on which the golden Mercury logo is.
«Golden George» is awarded for «The best film of the competition program» and «For contribution to the world cinema». The winners in seven nominated programs are awarded «Silver George».
As a mark of respect and recognition of the special chairman’s jury role of the Moscow International Film Festival, Mercury Jewellery has created a chain with three gold plated silver medallions depicting the main symbols of Moscow – the Spasskaya Tower, St. Basil's Cathedral and St. George.
A special prize for conquering the peaks of acting and fidelity to school of K. S. Stanislavsky principles «I believe. Konstantin Stanislavsky» has the original design.
Mercury Jewellery brand is known for its elegant and classic jewelry design, high-quality gemstones with international certification, as well as the skillful work of its gemologists, gemsetters and goldsmiths. All Mercury jewels are made of gold and gemstones: diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. The brand's collection proudly contains unique precious stones and high jewellery pieces. All gemstones are internationally certified, the jewellery is accompanied by a Mercury’s certificate of authenticity.