Applications are open for the second "Rendezvous with Russia. Territory of People's Unity" film festival

From 1 to 5 November, the Arkhangelsk region will host the second "Territory of People's Unity" international film festival as part of the "Rendezvous with Russia" international media project, dedicated to the unique diversity of cultures of the peoples of Russia. The call for applications for the film festival was announced at a press conference by the organisers of the event.

The "Territory of People's Unity" film festival will be timed to coincide with several significant dates: the 85th anniversary of the Arkhangelsk Region, the 350th anniversary of Peter the Great, the Day of National Unity and the Year of Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of Russia.

"The results of the first film festival show that the Arkhangelsk region has become a truly collective territory - a territory of national unity of our entire country. This year's creative concept will not change - it is the preservation of the historical, cultural and natural heritage of the peoples of Russia through the prism of cinema about the identity of ethno-cultural and linguistic diversity," said Aleksandr Ilyin, the festival's organiser and chairman of the board of the Non-Commercial Partnership for the Promotion of Film and Tourism Development “KiT”.

In 2022, the festival's competition programme will include Russian and foreign documentaries in several categories: "Our Common History", "The Many Faces of Russia", and "Young Cinema of Russia".

And also this year, two special nominations were established: “Hour of Courage” (about the manifestation of patriotism, military and labor exploits of representatives of multinational Russia) and “To the 85th anniversary of the formation of the Arkhangelsk region”.

As the experts say, preparations for the film festival have been going on throughout the year. And as early as the beginning of July, the film lab, organised in cooperation with the regional branch of the Union of Russian Cinematographers, will start selecting participants.

According to Anatoly Konynchev, head of the department, the committee will select about 40 works by the first of August, whose authors will spend two months in the film workshop. At the same time, the emphasis this year is on participants from the Arkhangelsk region districts. During the film festival, the results of the work of the film school will be analysed by one of the famous directors, whose name is still kept secret.

The symbol of the international film festival, like last year, will be the Pomor mitten, which has already become a recognisable brand of Novodvinsk and the Arkhangelsk region.

Last year, more than four dozen films entered the competition. Grand Prix of the first international "Rendezvous with Russia. Territory of People's Unity" film festival was awarded to the 'Dostoevsky Intercontinental' film directed by Ivan Zakharenko. TV BRICS joint editorial board worked on the film.

The authors of the film emphasise the relevance of the great writer's legacy, but also reveal national approaches to the interpretation of his philosophy. In addition to Russia, they include India, Brazil, South Africa and China.