At the International Student Festival “Your Chance | GITIS fest” in Moscow, audiences will see 20 productions from Russian universities – 10 from Moscow-based and 10 from regional theatre schools – as well as a number of performances by international guests.

A total of 94 applications were submitted, including 61 from regional universities. Following the screenings, winners will be determined in the categories of “Best Performance”, “Best Actor”, “Best Actress”, and “Teacher–Mentor” (a special nomination highlighting the continuity of traditions).

The festival aims to promote the exchange of professional experience and to shape an understanding of contemporary trends in global theatre through the presentation of graduation performances by theatre schools.

From 5 April in Moscow, leading theatre universities – the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS), the Russian State University of Cinematography named after S. Gerasimov (VGIK), the Moscow Art Theatre School, the Mikhail Shchepkin Higher Theatre School, the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute and others – are presenting their graduation productions on the stages of their educational theatres. The programme includes both classical interpretations (“Demons. Rehearsal”, “The Imaginary Invalid”, “The House of Bernarda Alba”) and experimental works (“Playing Woody Allen!”, “O Captain! My Captain!”).

From 18 to 28 April, student ensembles from Yaroslavl, Samara, Rostov-on-Don, Voronezh, Perm, Yekaterinburg, Kemerovo, and Saint Petersburg will perform in the Russian capital. Their productions will be staged at the "GITIS Theatre. New Stage", the Moscow Theatre School of Oleg Tabakov, and the Na Strastnom Theatre Centre. Among the performances are “Antigone”, “Vassa Zheleznova”, “Ida”, and the wartime drama “His Name Was Not Listed”.

The international programme of the festival will take place from 20 to 30 April. This year, theatre universities from Tunisia and Chile will present their productions for the first time, alongside students from the Chinese course of the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts. Traditional participants include the Teatro Escola Macunaíma and the National School of Drama.

Performances by international guests will include “The Performance” (National Theatre of Tunisia), “The Stone Guest” (University of Chile), “My Mother Won’t Sleep Until I Return Home” (Teatro Escola Macunaíma), and others.

Participation in the festival provides emerging artists with the opportunity to present their work to a wide audience, receive evaluations from theatre critics, and attract the attention of casting directors from leading theatres.

The showcase of young theatrical art is organised by the Union of Theatre Workers of the Russian Federation and the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts – GITIS, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The TV BRICS International Media Network acts as the international information partner of the event.