The closing ceremony of 47th Moscow International Film Festival took place in Rossiya Theater. The Indian film The Elysian Field received the Golden Saint George and its director Prdip Kurbah was also recognized with the Best Director Prize. The film License to Love directed by Anton Maslov became the winner in the Russian Premiere Competition.
Overall, the Festival programs featured over 200 films from 50 countries, including Argentina, China, France, India, USA, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Bolivia, Venezuela, Vietnam, Ireland, Lebanon, etc.
13 films from 13 countries participated in the Main Competition, 8 films from 6 countries competed in the Documentary Film Competition and 13 films from 9 countries were part of the Short Film Competition. 7 films took part in the Russian Premiere Competition.
The actor Aleksey Chadov hosted the ceremony. The first Festival award was presented for the Best Short Film. The jury of the competition included the Russian actress Yulia Khlynina, the Italian director, producer and actor Fabio Massa and the chair of the jury, the Turkish actor, director and scriptwriter Erkan Kolçak Köstendil.
Erkan Kolçak Köstendil: "I am so much proud that I had the honor to work at one of the most prominent film festivals in the world. Short films can teach us a lot and unveil the future of cinema, and we as jury members did our best to be attentive and eager students.
The jury recognized the Russian film Tango directed by Fedor Malyshev with a diploma.
Silver Saint George for the Best Short Film – Bumblebee directed by Fon Cortizo, Spain
Fon Cortizo: "I want to say thank you to my granddad and great granddad who inspired me to make this film. And I am grateful to my son, who gave me the motivation to make this film, and to my spouse. And I also thank all visually impaired people who helped me make this film. I hope it will help with the making of more good films for blind people".
The Documentary Competition of 47th Moscow International Film Festival was judged by the Russian cinematographer and director Irina Uralskaya, the Brazilian director, cinematographer and producer Bruno Jorge, and Chair of the Jury, the American professor, writer, script writer and public figure Peter Kuznick.
The Russian film The Winter Road directed by Yuriy Dorokhin received a special mentioning of the Jury.
Silver Saint George for the Best Documentary – Ms. Hu's Garden directed by Zhiqi Pan, China
Zhiqi Pan: "It took more than 10 years to make this film. With today's dynamic technology and humanitarian sciences, I always question my manual filming method: why we even shoot. But when my female character faced her son's life or death question, she remembered the story of Pavel Korchagin and inspired her son with it. The strong-willed Korchagin, the kind-hearted Auntie Hu or Ekaterina longing for happiness from the film Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears: these are the characters making us stronger to face any challenges. Thank you for this award, which strengthened my faith in my continued creative work! I will further make films about how ordinary people pave for us a bright path with their lives".
The director and script writer Anna Matison, the producer and media manager Sergei Titinkov and the director Vladimir Grammatikov selected the winner the Russian Premiere Competition this year.
Vladimir Grammatikov: "We had a very challenging task to work with a complex program, which included very different films, so we did not reach an agreement at once".
Silver Saint George for the Best Film in the Russian Premiere Competition – License to Love directed by Anton Maslov, Russia
Anton Maslov: "Just do whatever your wife says, and you'll be at Moscow International Film Festival. And to win here, you need the wife, Maria Maslova, to write the script too. This competition program was incredible and winning an award here is a great luck. Many films from this program, like our film, will soon be out in cinemas and I very much want you to watch them in cinemas.
The jury of the Main Competition of 47th Moscow International Film Festival included the actress Maryana Spivak (Russia), the actor, director and producer John Robinson (USA), the director and screenwriter Aleksey German Jr. (Russia), the director, screenwriter, producer Cornel Gheorghita (Romania, France), the actress, singer, TV presenter, entrepreneur Bushra (Egypt, Great Britain), and the chair of the jury, producer, director, script writer Lluís Miñarro (Spain).
Silver Saint George for the Best Actress – Maria Rodríguez Soto, A House on Fire, Spain
Silver Saint George for the Best Actor – Evgeniy Tsyganov, Family Happiness, Russia
The director of the film Stacy Tolstoy received the prize for the actor: "Evgeniy is the most caring actor I know, and he was not only a co-author of this role, but of the whole film too".
Special Jury Prize, Saint Silver George – Evacuation directed by Farkhat Sharipov, Kazakhstan
Farkhat Sharipov: "I would like to dedicate this prize to my grandmother who was an example of humanity, kindness, love and power for me. And I want to express deep gratitude to the whole shooting team, which patiently waited for this film for six years, and finally saw it finished."
Aleksey German Jr. and Cornel Gheorghita awarded the prize for the Best Director.
Cornel Gheorghita: "This is a very important film, which took me to a new level in world cinema when Sokurov, Kurosawa and Beckett come together. And this film stands out from all what we saw at the competition".
Aleksey German Jr.: "This is an incredibly bold film by a courageous, smart, subtle and perfectly humane director who did exactly what one shouldn't do to win at a festival – he removed all powerful narratives and themes and took people's feelings and emotions instead".
Silver Saint George for the Best Director – The Elysian Field directed by Pradip Kurbah, India
Pradip Kurbah: "I would like to thank my team, because no director can make a film alone. And to say thanks to my wife and kids, as it's my son's birthday today. And to my father who, regrettably, passed away four years ago not long before the shooting".
The Spanish filmmaker Luis Miñarro awarded the Golden Saint George for the Best Film of the Main Competition.
Luis Miñarro: "The title of the film The Elysian Field can be interpreted as a place where superior souls meet. For me it was a great honor to work with my colleagues with whom we took a unanimous decision".
Golden Saint George for the Best Film – The Elysian Field by Pradip Kurbah, India
Pradip Kurbah: "As if I'm dreaming, and do not even want to wake up! A great thanks to Moscow, the jury members, the organizers of the Festival. The Main Competition was very strong, so winning here is a huge honor for me".
Wrapping up the ceremony, President of the Festival Nikita Mikhalkov said that 333 screenings had taken place in nine Moscow cinemas, with over eight thousand guests accredited to the Festival including over 2,000 representatives of the media.
Before adjourning the Festival, Nikita Mikhalkov also awarded the Special Prize for Contribution to Cinema Art.
Nikita Mikhalkov: :The are good actors, very good ones and there are great actors, actors of genius when you cannot understand how they do it, what magic works inside them, what guides them. Innokenty Smoktunovky, Aleksei Petrenko were such actors, and Vladimir Ilyin is one of them too".
Vladimir Ilyin was recognized with a Golden Saint George for Contribution to Cinema Art.
Together with Nikita Mikhalkov, they adjourned 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
The Festival closed with the Argentinian film What We Wanted to Be about a man and a woman who each Friday meet in the same café for many years to tell each other whom they would prefer to be if the reality had not stood in the way of their dreams.
Sima-Lend, one of the largest Russian retail and manufacturing companies, is an official partner of 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
VOYAH premium electric and hybrid cars is an official partner of 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
MAER Media Holding is a communication partner
of 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
Continuing its tradition of supporting most significant cultural events in Russia, Mercury Jewellery has been an official partner of Moscow International Film Festival for five consecutive years.
Mercury crafted the main prizes of the Festival: figurines of Saint George riding a silver horse and slaying a dragon with a spear. The Golden Saint George figurine is made of gilded silver and the Silver Saint George is crafted from silver. The foundation of the figurine featuring the Mercury logo in gold is made from adder stone.
The Golden Saint George is awarded in two nominations: for Contribution into the World Cinema Art and for the Excellence in Acting and Commitment to the Principles of Stanislavsky, the Prize I believe. Konstantin Stanislavsky.
In the competition program, the Golden Saint George is awarded for the best film of the competition program. Laureates in the seven main nominations are awarded with Silver Saint George figurines.
Mercury Jewellery is also the author of the gilt silver chain with three medallions embossed with the main symbols of Moscow: Spasskaya Tower, St. Basil’s Cathedral and Saint George. This chain embodies the symbol of power, wisdom and justice. The President of the Festival gives it to the chair of the jury of Moscow International Film Festival as a token of respect and recognition.
Mercury Jewellery brand is renowned for the elegant design of its gold and precious stone jewelry, and the excellent craftsmanship of Italian jewelers. The company is rightly proud of its collection of unique precious stones and jewels of the High Jewellery Art category. All the precious stones have international certification, with a Mercury authenticity certificate having a unique number coming with each jewel.
Overall, the Festival programs featured over 200 films from 50 countries, including Argentina, China, France, India, USA, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Bolivia, Venezuela, Vietnam, Ireland, Lebanon, etc.
13 films from 13 countries participated in the Main Competition, 8 films from 6 countries competed in the Documentary Film Competition and 13 films from 9 countries were part of the Short Film Competition. 7 films took part in the Russian Premiere Competition.
The actor Aleksey Chadov hosted the ceremony. The first Festival award was presented for the Best Short Film. The jury of the competition included the Russian actress Yulia Khlynina, the Italian director, producer and actor Fabio Massa and the chair of the jury, the Turkish actor, director and scriptwriter Erkan Kolçak Köstendil.
Erkan Kolçak Köstendil: "I am so much proud that I had the honor to work at one of the most prominent film festivals in the world. Short films can teach us a lot and unveil the future of cinema, and we as jury members did our best to be attentive and eager students.
The jury recognized the Russian film Tango directed by Fedor Malyshev with a diploma.
Silver Saint George for the Best Short Film – Bumblebee directed by Fon Cortizo, Spain
Fon Cortizo: "I want to say thank you to my granddad and great granddad who inspired me to make this film. And I am grateful to my son, who gave me the motivation to make this film, and to my spouse. And I also thank all visually impaired people who helped me make this film. I hope it will help with the making of more good films for blind people".
The Documentary Competition of 47th Moscow International Film Festival was judged by the Russian cinematographer and director Irina Uralskaya, the Brazilian director, cinematographer and producer Bruno Jorge, and Chair of the Jury, the American professor, writer, script writer and public figure Peter Kuznick.
The Russian film The Winter Road directed by Yuriy Dorokhin received a special mentioning of the Jury.
Silver Saint George for the Best Documentary – Ms. Hu's Garden directed by Zhiqi Pan, China
Zhiqi Pan: "It took more than 10 years to make this film. With today's dynamic technology and humanitarian sciences, I always question my manual filming method: why we even shoot. But when my female character faced her son's life or death question, she remembered the story of Pavel Korchagin and inspired her son with it. The strong-willed Korchagin, the kind-hearted Auntie Hu or Ekaterina longing for happiness from the film Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears: these are the characters making us stronger to face any challenges. Thank you for this award, which strengthened my faith in my continued creative work! I will further make films about how ordinary people pave for us a bright path with their lives".
The director and script writer Anna Matison, the producer and media manager Sergei Titinkov and the director Vladimir Grammatikov selected the winner the Russian Premiere Competition this year.
Vladimir Grammatikov: "We had a very challenging task to work with a complex program, which included very different films, so we did not reach an agreement at once".
Silver Saint George for the Best Film in the Russian Premiere Competition – License to Love directed by Anton Maslov, Russia
Anton Maslov: "Just do whatever your wife says, and you'll be at Moscow International Film Festival. And to win here, you need the wife, Maria Maslova, to write the script too. This competition program was incredible and winning an award here is a great luck. Many films from this program, like our film, will soon be out in cinemas and I very much want you to watch them in cinemas.
The jury of the Main Competition of 47th Moscow International Film Festival included the actress Maryana Spivak (Russia), the actor, director and producer John Robinson (USA), the director and screenwriter Aleksey German Jr. (Russia), the director, screenwriter, producer Cornel Gheorghita (Romania, France), the actress, singer, TV presenter, entrepreneur Bushra (Egypt, Great Britain), and the chair of the jury, producer, director, script writer Lluís Miñarro (Spain).
Silver Saint George for the Best Actress – Maria Rodríguez Soto, A House on Fire, Spain
Silver Saint George for the Best Actor – Evgeniy Tsyganov, Family Happiness, Russia
The director of the film Stacy Tolstoy received the prize for the actor: "Evgeniy is the most caring actor I know, and he was not only a co-author of this role, but of the whole film too".
Special Jury Prize, Saint Silver George – Evacuation directed by Farkhat Sharipov, Kazakhstan
Farkhat Sharipov: "I would like to dedicate this prize to my grandmother who was an example of humanity, kindness, love and power for me. And I want to express deep gratitude to the whole shooting team, which patiently waited for this film for six years, and finally saw it finished."
Aleksey German Jr. and Cornel Gheorghita awarded the prize for the Best Director.
Cornel Gheorghita: "This is a very important film, which took me to a new level in world cinema when Sokurov, Kurosawa and Beckett come together. And this film stands out from all what we saw at the competition".
Aleksey German Jr.: "This is an incredibly bold film by a courageous, smart, subtle and perfectly humane director who did exactly what one shouldn't do to win at a festival – he removed all powerful narratives and themes and took people's feelings and emotions instead".
Silver Saint George for the Best Director – The Elysian Field directed by Pradip Kurbah, India
Pradip Kurbah: "I would like to thank my team, because no director can make a film alone. And to say thanks to my wife and kids, as it's my son's birthday today. And to my father who, regrettably, passed away four years ago not long before the shooting".
The Spanish filmmaker Luis Miñarro awarded the Golden Saint George for the Best Film of the Main Competition.
Luis Miñarro: "The title of the film The Elysian Field can be interpreted as a place where superior souls meet. For me it was a great honor to work with my colleagues with whom we took a unanimous decision".
Golden Saint George for the Best Film – The Elysian Field by Pradip Kurbah, India
Pradip Kurbah: "As if I'm dreaming, and do not even want to wake up! A great thanks to Moscow, the jury members, the organizers of the Festival. The Main Competition was very strong, so winning here is a huge honor for me".
Wrapping up the ceremony, President of the Festival Nikita Mikhalkov said that 333 screenings had taken place in nine Moscow cinemas, with over eight thousand guests accredited to the Festival including over 2,000 representatives of the media.
Before adjourning the Festival, Nikita Mikhalkov also awarded the Special Prize for Contribution to Cinema Art.
Nikita Mikhalkov: :The are good actors, very good ones and there are great actors, actors of genius when you cannot understand how they do it, what magic works inside them, what guides them. Innokenty Smoktunovky, Aleksei Petrenko were such actors, and Vladimir Ilyin is one of them too".
Vladimir Ilyin was recognized with a Golden Saint George for Contribution to Cinema Art.
Together with Nikita Mikhalkov, they adjourned 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
The Festival closed with the Argentinian film What We Wanted to Be about a man and a woman who each Friday meet in the same café for many years to tell each other whom they would prefer to be if the reality had not stood in the way of their dreams.
Sima-Lend, one of the largest Russian retail and manufacturing companies, is an official partner of 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
VOYAH premium electric and hybrid cars is an official partner of 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
MAER Media Holding is a communication partner
of 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
Continuing its tradition of supporting most significant cultural events in Russia, Mercury Jewellery has been an official partner of Moscow International Film Festival for five consecutive years.
Mercury crafted the main prizes of the Festival: figurines of Saint George riding a silver horse and slaying a dragon with a spear. The Golden Saint George figurine is made of gilded silver and the Silver Saint George is crafted from silver. The foundation of the figurine featuring the Mercury logo in gold is made from adder stone.
The Golden Saint George is awarded in two nominations: for Contribution into the World Cinema Art and for the Excellence in Acting and Commitment to the Principles of Stanislavsky, the Prize I believe. Konstantin Stanislavsky.
In the competition program, the Golden Saint George is awarded for the best film of the competition program. Laureates in the seven main nominations are awarded with Silver Saint George figurines.
Mercury Jewellery is also the author of the gilt silver chain with three medallions embossed with the main symbols of Moscow: Spasskaya Tower, St. Basil’s Cathedral and Saint George. This chain embodies the symbol of power, wisdom and justice. The President of the Festival gives it to the chair of the jury of Moscow International Film Festival as a token of respect and recognition.
Mercury Jewellery brand is renowned for the elegant design of its gold and precious stone jewelry, and the excellent craftsmanship of Italian jewelers. The company is rightly proud of its collection of unique precious stones and jewels of the High Jewellery Art category. All the precious stones have international certification, with a Mercury authenticity certificate having a unique number coming with each jewel.