ROSKINO AT THE 65th BERLINALE AND THE EUROPEAN FILM MARKET
ROSKINO supported by Aeroflot Russian Airlines is presenting Russian film projects at the European Film Market (EFM) for the fourth time. The national umbrella stand is co-organized by ROSKINO jointly with the Ministry for Culture and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
The Berlinale official line-up includes 7 Russian films. Moreover, the Moscow Cinema Museum founder and long-time director, world-famous film scholar Naum Kleiman will be honoured by the Berlinale Camera award in recognition of his unique contribution to film.
Russia is represented in the main competition of the Berlinale by Alexey German Junior’s ‘Under Electric Clouds’, a Russian-Polish-Ukrainian co-production featuring interconnected tales of a country that is paradoxically capable to unite the past, the present and the future. The film stars Chulpan Khamatova, Anastasia Melnikova and Merab Ninidze.
Alexey German Jr, Director: ‘What mattered to us was to try and grasp the common feelings of an entire extremely diverse, controversial and contradictory country through several intertwined human stories. Basically we tried to go back to the roots of the great Russian novels with their complex approach to reality in all its various combinations. Hence, each chapter represents a new, different point of view. It is just like in a game of football where you have to change positions all the time in order to get the meaning of the whole, that is, of the game as such. Although our film is set in the nearest future, it is hardly perceived as science fiction. Instead of racing after time, we decided to surpass it in order to have the chance to stop and watch it draw nearer’
Russia’s previous entry in the main Berlinale competition has been Boris Khlebnikov’s social drama ‘A Long and Happy Life’ (Koktebel studio, 2013).
‘Under Electric Clouds’ was first presented as a project in 2012 at the Russian pavilion at Cannes. Following the announcement at the press conference, ROSKINO CEO Katya Mtsitouridze introduced Alexey German Jr and his producer, Artem Vasiliev, to the Ukrainian producer Sergey Antonov who later became their partner.
Katya Mtsitouridze, ROSKINO CEO: ‘Berlinale has always been an important platform for the promotion of our national cinema, and we are doubly pleased to witness the growing attention to our films in the last three or four years. Back in 2012, when we presented the ‘Under Electric Clouds’ project at the Russian pavilion at Cannes and introduced Alexey German Jr. and his producer to their Ukrainian colleagues and future partners, we could hardly imagine that this film would become one of the last examples of collaboration between our two countries. It is of vital importance for culture and cinema in particular to bond and lay bridges while things are getting difficult in politics’.
Alongside Alexey German Jr.’s feature, the Berlinale official program includes 6 more Russian entries:
– Natalya Kudryashova’s ‘Pioneer Heroes’ in the Panorama section
Sergey Selyanov, producer, CTB studio CEO: ‘Pioneer Heroes’ for us is socially relevant project, a study of the lives of the thirty-year-old strata of the Russian population, or rather, of what Russia is today. It is a subtle insight offered by a young female director which fits perfectly well into the Berlinale context that this time boasts a record presence of female directors’.
– Ella Manzheeva’s debute feature The Gulls in the FORUM section
Elena Glickman, producer: ‘The Berlinale FORUM is an excellent launch platform for our film. ‘The Gulls’ is a rare phenomenon: the first Kalmykian film in twenty years to be made by a Kalmykian director in Kalmykian language. I really hope that this sublime, atmospheric work will find its audience among the general public and the professionals’
– Yury Feting’s ‘Celestial Camel’ starring Victor Sukhorukov in the Generation Kplus section
– Lyusya Matveeva’s ‘The Embroidress’ short in the FORUM Expanded section
– Andrey Zaitsev’s ‘14+’ romance in the Generation 14plus section
– Svetlana Razgulyaeva’s animation ‘Why Banana Snarls’ in the Generation 14plus Short Film section
NAUM KLEIMAN TO RECEIVE THE BERLINALE CAMERA AWARD
The ex-director of the Moscow Cinema Museum, the world famous film scholar Naum Kleiman will be honoured by the Berinale Camera award.
The presentation of the Berlinale Camera to Naum Kleiman will take place at the Delphi Filmpalast at 4.30 PM on February 12, 2015. To celebrate the occasion, Tatyana Brandrup’s documentary ‘Cinema: A Public Affair’ (Germany, 2015) about the events leading up to Kleiman’s dismissal from his directorial position will be screened after the ceremony.
Naum Kleiman, film scholar: ‘I perceive this most prestigious Berlinale award as a recognition of the whole Cinema Museum team’s work over a span of 25 years. We have been laboring to allow Russian cinema to grow in experience by absorbing other cinematic traditions while preserving its distinctive individuality and evolving as part of the world’s shared culture’.
The Berlinale Camera has been awarded since 1986 for unique contribution to film and outstanding support of the Berlinale.
DOORS INTERNATIONAL TRAVELING FILM MARKET ET THE EFM
The Berlinale catalogue of the DOORS International Traveling Film Market features 30 Russian films produced in 2013/2014, many of them awarded by major national and international film festivals.
ROSKINO updates its catalogue on the occasion of each market. The current edition includes Yury Feting’s ‘Celestial Camel’ (Vse Horosho Production), the most recent Art Pictures and Corner Work coproduction ‘Battalion of Death’, directed by Dmitry Meshiev (international sales treated by Art Pictures) as well as the Art Pictures and Kinoslovo coproduction ‘Soulless 2’, directed by Roman Prigunov (international sales treated by Art Pictures). The RWS Studios present Nurbek Egen’s ‘The Fighter’ (international sales treated by RWS) while New People Film Company jointly with Kinorob Studio showcase Sergey Mokritsky’s ‘The Battle of Sevastopol’ (international sales treated by New People). Fine June production’s contribution to the catalogue is Ekaterina Shagalova’s ‘Combat Boots’.
The DOORS catalogue includes entries by the following studios:
Central Partnership (‘Love with an Accent’ by Rezo Gigienishvili)
Rock Films (‘The Edge’ by Alexey Uchitel, international sales treated by Wide Management, ‘The Major’ and ‘The Fool’ by Yury Bykov, international sales treated by M-Appeal).
Bazelevs (Kiss Them All’ by Zhora Kryzhovnikov, ‘Game of Truth’ by Viktor Shamirov)
RWS (‘The Thirst’ by Dmitry Tyurin, international sales treated by Reflexion Films)
Multiland company jointly with the Gosfilmofond of Russia (‘Another Year’ by Oksana Bychkova)
2plan2 (The Icon of a season’ by Sergey Shvydkoy and Fuad Ibragimbekov, international sales treated by Reflexion films)
Proline Film (‘The Role’ by Konstantin Lopushansky, international sales treated by Reflexion films)
Duty-Free Productions (‘Shopping tour’ by Mikhail Brashinsky, international sales treated by DC Medias)
First Creative Union jointly with LOOK film (‘The Hope Factory’ by Natalia Meschaninova, ‘Till Night Do Us Part’ by Boris Khlebnikov)
New People (‘A Film About Alexeev’ by Mikhail Segal, ‘Correction Class’ by Ivan Tverdovsky, a coproduction with Jomami Film Production, international sales treated by Glukoza Production)
Art Pictures (‘Yes and Yes’ by Valeria Gay Germanika, international sales treated by Art Pictures)
Glukoza Production (‘Heart of the Warrior’ by Maxim Fadeev, international sales treated by Glukoza Production)
Svoy Pocherk (‘Rudolph Nureyev: Rebellious Genius of Ballet’ by Tatyana Malova, international sales at Reflexion films)
Telesto (‘Atomic Ivan’ by Vasily Barkhatov)
Art Express (‘Ask Me’ by Vera Kharybina)
SLON (‘Betrayal’ by Kirill Serebrennikov)
Passenger (‘Brothers Ch’ by Mikhail Ugarov)
AD Studio jointly with CINE FANTOM (‘For Marx…’ by Svetlana Baskova, international sales treated by Reflexion films)
Vvys and KINOLITPROS (‘Waiting for the Sea’ by Bakhtiar Khudojnazarov, international sales treated by Reflexion films),
ROSKINO’s umbrella stand No 107 at the EFM is situated the Marriott hotel. It will showcase 35 Russian film companies:
• ANNIKO FILMS
• ART EXPRESS LLC
• ART PICTURES
• A VVIS AND KINOLITPROS
• BAZELEVS
• CENTRAL PARTNERSHIP
• CINEMA ART STUDIO
• CINE FANTOM
• CORNER WORK
• CTB FILM COMPANY
• DUTY-FREE PRODUCTIONS
• DS FILM STUDIO
• FIRST CREATIVE UNION
• GLUKOZA PRODUCTION
• GOSFILMOFOND
• INTERFEST
• LOOK FILM
• LENFILM
• MD PROJECT LTD STUDIO
• MULTILAND LTD
• METRAFILMS
• NEW PEOPLE FILM COMPANY
• PASSENGER FILM STUDIO
• PROLINE FILM
• REAL DAKOTA
• ROCK FILMS
• RWS
• SHAR SCHOOL-STUDIO
• SLON
• SREDA-FETISOV FILMS
• SVERDLOVSK FILM STUDIOS
• SVOY POCHERK COMPANY
• TELESTO-FILM COMPANY
• VSE HOROSHO
• 2PLAN2
RUSSIAN FILMS AT THE 65th BERLINALE SCREENING SCHEDULE
Under Electric Clouds, directed by Alexey German Jr
Several intertwined novels taking place in between summer and winter, on the day the first snow falls. The novels follow their own, ultimately emotional rules. The film is a collection of interconnected tales of a country that paradoxically unites the past, the present and the future.
Main Competition
10.02.15 09:00 Berlinale Palast (directly followed by photo call, then press conference at the press centre/Hotel Hyatt) press
10.02.15 15:00 Berlinale Palast – red carpet
11.02.15 12:00 & 15:00 Friedrichstadt Palast
11.02.15 22:30 Kino International
14.02.15 09:30 Haus der Berliner Festspiele
Pioneer Heroes, directed by Natalya Kudryashova
Olga, Katya, and Andrey, the three former schoolmates, have long moved to Moscow and successfully established themselves in the capital. Olga is an actress, Katya works in a major PR consultancy and Andrey is a political analyst. They buy cars, get mortgages and build country houses just like everybody else but this does not make them happy or even content with their lives. Most of today’s thirty-year-olds feel much the same way: something is definitely not right but they cannot put their finger on it. They grew up under the Soviet Union when kids dreamt of heroic actions, believed in spy stories and trusted their bright future to come in time. No one would have expected the heroic dreams to be substituted by longing for a stable and predictable existence. People stopped dreaming at all, they just tag along.
PANORAMA section
06.02.2015 19:15 Zoo Palast 2
07.02.2015 15:15 CineStar 3 press screening
12.02.2015 19:30 CinemaxX 7 Premiere
13.02.2015 17:45 CineStar 3
14.02.2015 20:30 Cubix 7 & 8
15.02.2015 20:15 CinemaxX 1
The Gulls, directed by Ella Manzheeva
Elza, a fisherman’s wife, lives in a seaside town in the Republic of Kalmykia. She wants to leave her husband but does not dare to do so for fear of the unknown. However, her husband eventually dies, and his death forces the heroine to start reconsidering her views on life, happiness and freedom….
FORUM section
06.02.15 14:00 CinemaxX6 (press screening) EN
07.02.15 17:00 CineStar 8 EN
08.02.15 22:30 Zoo Palast 2 EN
10.02.15 19:15 Delphi Filmpalast EN
15.02.15 19:15 CineStar 8 EN
Celestial Camel, directed by Yury Feting
The protagonists are the twelve-year-old Bayir and a fakir nicknamed 50 Roubles. They take off into the steppes of Kalmykia in order to find a stray mother camel. Their adventures are somehow connected to the Celestial Camel of the legends of yore.
Generation Kplus section
12.02.2015 10:00 Haus der Kulturen der Welt Kino 1
14.02.2015 10:00 Filmtheater am Friedrichshain
15.02.2015 11:00 CinemaxX 1
Embroidress, directed by Lyusya Matveeva
Five short stories, ‘Helicopter’, ‘Sunday’, ‘Doggie-Photographer’, ‘Mausoleum’ and ‘Apocalypse’, united by a single action: the author embroiders all of them, making a clear reference to the Greek myth where the goddesses of fate spin the thread of human life.
FORUM Expanded section
12.02.15 17:15 Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg EN
13.02.15 18:00 Kino Arsenal 1 EN
14+, directed by Andrey Zaytsev
A tale of first love at the age of fourteen set in a vast suburban conglomeration of tower blocks. The modern Romeo and Juliet embrace social networks and street culture, all having their own hard rules which the lovers never intend to follow.
Generation 14plus section
07.02.2015 17:00 Haus der Kulturen der Welt Kino 1
08.02.2015 15:30 Cubix 8
14.02.2015 16:30 CinemaxX 3
Why Banana Snarls, directed by Svetlana Razgulyaeva
A loser chap is dreaming of sails and far seas while working as a human billboard featuring a banana only to discover one day that he has grown a big long tail…
Generation 14plus Short Film Section
09.02.2015 15:00 CinemaxX 1
11.02.2015 14:30 CinemaxX 1
13.02.2015 10:00 Haus der Kulturen der Welt Kino 1
14.02.2015 14:30 CinemaxX 1
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Naum Kleiman is a Russian film scholar and historian. He has published extensively, notably on film theory, the history of Soviet and Russian cinema and the work of Sergey Eisenstein. He has been recognized as an honoured arts worker by the Russian government since 1998. In 1992 Kleiman created and headed the Moscow Cinema Museum and the Eisenstein Archive which he ran until 2014. In 2005 the Cinema Museum lost its premises but Kleiman and his team resisted and kept the Cinema Museum in Exile alive by organizing screenings in movie theaters and museums all over Moscow. Naum Kleiman has received numerous awards, including a FIPRESCI Prize (1987) for the retrospective he organized during the Moscow International Film Festival. Kleiman has been on juries of many film festivals worldwide, including the International Jury of the Berlinale Competition.
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Alexey German Jr is a Russian filmmaker and screenwriter. He took his filmmaker’s degree at the State University of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow, having studied with Sergey Solovyev and Valery Rubinchik.
Filmography:
2003 – The Last Train
2005 – Garpastum
2008 – Paper Soldier
2009 – Crush (Kim episode), part of a collection of five short stories
2011 – From Tokyo (short)
2015 – Under Electric Clouds
Awards:
2001 – St. Anna Festival for Student and Debut films, Student Competition, special mention of the jury, ‘Poor Fools’
2001 – Munich International Film Festival award, ‘Poor Fools’
2003 – Venice International Film Festival, Special Mention of the Nuovi Territori section, ‘The Last Train’
2003 – Thessaloniki International Film Festival, FIPRESCI Award and a Golden Alexander, ‘The Last Train’
2003 – Stalker International Human Rights Film Festival, Grand Prix, ‘The Last Train’
2003 – Kinoshock Film Festival at Anapa, Best Director, ‘The Last Train’
2004 – International Film Festival Rotterdam, Amnesty International Award, ‘The Last Train’
2004 – Nika national film award, Discovery of the Year, ‘The Last Train’
2005 – Golden Ram national film critics’ award, Best Director, ‘Garpastum’
2005 – Nika national film award, Best Director, ‘Garpastum’
2006 – Spirit of Fire International Film Debut Festival, Bronze Taiga award, ‘Garpastum’
2008 – Venice International Film Festival, Silver Lion for Best Director, ‘Paper Soldier’
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Natalya Kudryashova, born in Nizhny Novgorod, took her degree from the Nizhny Theatre School n 2000, having studied with Riva Levite, Lev Belov and Yury Filshin. Actress in the Academy Drama Theatre of Nizhny Novgorod (2000-2001), actress at the Theatrical Mansion theatre (2001-2002). In 2006 graduated from the Laboratory of Alexey Vasiliev in who’s School of Dramatic Art she has been acting since 2002.
Filmography
2014 – Pioneer Heroes
2012 – Liza’s Morning (short)
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Ella Manzheeva was born in the Republic of Kalmykia. She studied violin from childhood and graduated from the St. Petersburg State University for Film and Television (class of Grigory Frank) in 2005. In 2007 she entered the Postgraduate School for Film Directors and Screenwriters in Moscow (class of Vladimir Khotinenko, Pavel Finn and Vladimir Fenchenko).
Filmography
2015 The Gulls
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Yury Nikolaevich Feting is a director, screenwriter, professor of the St Petersburg State University for Film and Television and the St Petersburg Higher School for Directors and Scriptwriters. Graduated from the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute in 1978. Until 1989 worked as a theatre director and actor at the Lenkom Theatre and the Rock Opera Theatre in Moscow, then proceeded to graduate from Alexey German’s class at the Postgraduate School for Film Directors and Screenwriters in 1990.
Filmography
1999 — Streets of Broken Streetlights. An Affair of Honour episode (TV series).
2000 — Christmas Mystery (feature)
2005 — Myths of My Childhood (feature)
2010 — Bibinur (feature)
2015 — Celestial Camel
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Lyusya Matveeva (aka Lyudmila Zinchenko), artist and photographer born in the Tver region who started her career as a photo journalist. From 1987 to 2000 she collaborated with a number of publications as different as the local ‘Zvezda’ (Star) newspaper and the national ‘Kultura’ newspaper. Recently she has been making prints from camera negatives from the heritage of Soviet classics such as Evgeny Khaldey, Boris Shaikhet, Anatoly Egorov, Mark Markov-Grinberg etc. Matveeva-Zinchenko has been fortunate to make the latter’s personal acquaintance. Her experience with video art as well as her pen name date back to the beginning of the 2010’s. ‘The Embroidress’ is Lyusya Matveeva’s first feature, preceded by a number of short videos. Matveeva-Zinchenko took part in several photo exhibitions such as the Moscow Photo Biennial, the Moscow Fashion and Style in Photography festival etc. She has been twice awarded the Silver Camera competition grand prix for her shots of everyday life (in 2002 and 2006) and nominated for the Kandinsky prize (2011). Her work has appeared in such publications as ‘Kommersant Daily’ (Moscow), Newsweek (US), Courrier Internaitional, Liberation and Le Figaro (France).
Main Shows
‘Field of Vision’, Moscow, Fotosoyuz gallery, 2002
‘Four Seasons’, Six Images gallery, Amsterdam
‘Russia: the Capital and the Provinces’, Cairo/Alexandria, Egypt, 2003,
‘Light Scripture’, Glaz gallery, Moscow, 2004
‘Once Upon a Time in the World’, Nizhny Novgorod, 2005
‘Triplex: A Power Balance’, Glaz gallery, Moscow, 2004
‘Moscow Biased’, the Shchusev museum of architecture, Moscow (within the framework of the Moscow Photo biennial, 2008)
‘Blue Dress’, Moscow (part of the Moscow Photo biennial program)
‘Residential Area’, White Cube gallery, Omsk, 2011
Participation in the Kandinsky prize exhibition with the Raitsentr project, Moscow, Central House of Artists, 2011
‘Moscow’ exhibition at the Library of Alexandria, Egypt, within the framework of the Days of Russian Culture, 2011
Participation in the ‘Night Shows in the Old City’ program at the Tbilisi festival with the Raitsentr project, 2012
‘Native Speech Manual’: photography, installations, video objects. ArtPlay Design and Architecture Centre, Moscow, 2013
Dali’s Curatorial Project (photography, paintings, video art objects, installations). Moscow, Fabrica Creative cluster, 2013
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Andrey Zaitsev was born on September 17, 1975 in Moscow. Graduated from the Journalistic department of the Moscow University and the Postgraduate School for Film Directors and Screenwriters (Alexander Mitta’s class). Documentary and feature director, head of the September studio specializing in TV, documentary and feature projects. Twice short-listed for the national ‘Golden Eagle’ film award, received the national documentary ‘Golden Laurel’ award twice for best feature TV project (‘Victor Astafyev, a Jolly Soidier’) as well as a best documentary and best documentary nomination of 2012. Holder of the national government award for outstanding contribution to culture.
Filmography
2015 – 14+
2012 – My Great War
2011 – Loafers
2010 – Victor Astafyev, a Jolly Soldier
2006 – Poster
2002 – Gleb
2000 – My Home
***
Svetlana Razgulyaeva is an animation director and CGI designer. Born in the Surgut region. Graduated from the Surgut art school in 1999 (class of Irina Zimina). Specialized in restoration of oil and tempera paintings while taking courses at the Suzdal School of Art and Restoration (A.Komarov’s class), graduated in 2004. Graduated from the Russian State Institute for Cinematography with specialization in film direction (class of animation and CGI graphics) and later executed a series of graphic works for her graduation project.
Filmography:
2012г. – ‘A Girl for a Bunny’
2007г. — ‘Trinity… Summertime’
2008г. — ‘Icky Bear’, a graduation project at the film school
2009г. — ‘Hear How the Snow Melts’
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ROSKINO is the only Russian state institution promoting Russian cinema internationally.
Since its foundation in 1924 ROSKINO facilitates the integration of the Russian filmmakers into the world industry. In 2014 the company celebrated its 90th anniversary.
The company promotes Russian cinema at major film festivals (Cannes, Venice, Berlin and Toronto), markets (AFM in Los Angeles, EFM in Berlin, Marché du FIlm and MIPCOM in Cannes), and awards (The Oscars, Golden Globes, EFA Awards). It supports the distribution of Russian cinema and solicits international investments and co-production partnerships.
One of the most prominent initiatives of ROSKINO is the DOORS international traveling film market that allows the company to present national cinema at various markets around the world.
Since 2012 ROSKINO operates the Russian Film Commission USA based in Los Angeles.
In 2014 ROSKINO launches a London office, ROSKINO-UK.
In October, 2014 ROSKINO organized the Saint Petersburg International Media Forum.
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Katya Mtsitouridze is head of ROSKINO, Channel One film expert, Variety Russia Editor-in-Chief, SPIMF concept developer and general producer.
Katya graduated from the Tbilisi State University with an MA in history and film studies.
She is the author and narrator of This Is Cinema, a regular show on Russia’s Channel One.
She is ROSKINO CEO since 2011.
Her portfolio includes diplomas of the film festivals in Cannes and Venice and the AFM market in LA.
In June, 2001, she was a member of the FIPRESCI jury at the 23rd Moscow International Film Festival.
In May, 2002, she was a member of the FIPRESCI jury at the 55th Cannes International Film Festival.
In June, 2003, Catherine was on the jury for debut films at the 25th Moscow International Film Festival.
In May, 2008, she was a member of the jury of the Un Certain Regard section of the 61th Cannes International Film Festival.
In the same 2008, she initiated the creation of the Russian Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival which she presently is still heading.
From September, 2010 to January, 2011 Catherine provided PR support in US and Canada for The Edge (Krai), a film by Alexey Uchitel, which was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the HFPA Golden Globe awards.
In September, 2011 she was in charge of the international PR and advertising campaign of Alexander Sokurov’s Faust which won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival.
In June, 2012 she held the first DOORS International Traveling Film Market of Russian content within the framework of the 34th Moscow International Film Festival.
In November, 2012, Catherine reached an agreement with HULU, one of the leading US digital platforms, for the VOD release of 12 contemporary Russian titles.
In May, 2014 she reached a further agreement for the distribution of CTC Media TV Content through HULU platforms.
In October 2014 Catherine held the first edition of the Saint Petersburg International Media Forum of which she was the concept developer and general producer.
Catherine is a member of FIPRESCI, the Russian Filmmakers’ Union, the Russian and International Unions of Journalists, the National Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Russia. She also holds an MA in History.
