The organizers of the Moscow International Film Festival – Program Director Kirill Razlogov, PR Director Peter Shepotinnik, Doc Program Lead Sergey Miroshnichenko, and Director General Natalya Semina – told about the 33rd season of the festival, within which from June 23 to July 2 nearly 400 films will be demonstrated in the capital of Russia.
According to Program Director Kirill Razlogov, films participating in the festival this year were selected following the “extreme contrasts” principle. “This year we decided to surprise the audience and journalists”, added Razlogov promising “more surprises than ever.”
The most far-reaching of them will certainly be the third episode of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”. Dosens and dosens of journalists from all over the world will visit Moscow to see the MIFF’s first-ever world premiere of a Hollywood blockbuster. However, main audience of the festival were and are Moscow film fans, that is why, according to Natalya Semina, this year prices for tickets will be at the same level.
As far as contrasts mentioned by Razlogov are concerned, they will be truly diverse: from age contrasts – the festival will show a pilot short movie shot by a 15-year American stage director and at the same time the newest work by the 90-year-old Japanese Kaneto Shindo – to status contrasts: “Transformers” on the one hand and a retrospective of one of the best experts in independent films Rob Nilson within the “CineFantom” on the other hand.
Both Russian movies included into the list of 17 participants of the MIFF contest emphasize dynamics of the domestic stage direction. Thus, Sergey Loban may be justly called a discovery of the Moscow Festival, as it was here, within the “Perspectives” program, in 2005 when he showed his first scandalous “Dust”. Now a new film by Loban titled “Shapito Show”, which took him almost six years to shoot it, was logically included into the main contest. And Nikolay Khomeriki who prefers to demonstrate his movies in Cannes will this time trifle us with premiere of his new film. His film “Heart Boomerang” seems to be one of the MIFF’s favourites.
The majority of additional programs fancied by Moscow audience will continue this year as well – from the literally legendary “Eight and a half films” to be closed this time with “Melancholy”, a film by scandalous Lars von Trier, to the patriotic “Russian trace” which this time will present an Italian movie about Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
In general, the year of Italy taking place this year in Russia will also be reflected in two separate cycles “1675 kilometres of Italian cinema” and “Modern Italian cinema”. The key event of these cycles will be a visit by Michele Placido, a favourite of all Soviet TV audience, who will present his new movie. Besides Placido (more known as Police Inspector Katani in TV series La Piovra), 33rd MIFF will also host Werner Herzog, whose retrospective will beautify the festival.
Another innovation is the “Wild nights” program which offers the most cruel and extreme movies that form a part of the festival; the films will be shown very late at night.
Besides, 14 documentary films within the “Free thought” program will be reinforced by an individual contests within which seven more movies may be demonstrated.
“We have faced quite a tricky problem, – admitted Doc Program Lead Sergey Miroshnichenko. – Having entirely successful and well-attended “Free thought”, to gather for the contests program consisting of equally interesting films.”
More info at: www.moscowfilmfestival.ru