TV BRICS presents special documentary film programme in Cuba

The XIX Gibara International Low Budget Film Festival (FIC Gibara) concluded in the Cuban city of Gibara, located in the Holguin province. The event was supported by the Ministry of Culture of Cuba, the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC), and the provincial government.

TV BRICS presented a special non-competitive documentary film programme at the event. The audience had the opportunity to watch three films: the international media network's production "Uralian Anomaly" (2025), directed by Ksenia Komissarova, with Andrey Porshnyak as the main director and Dmitry Golovko as the chief cinematographer, as well as works by Chinese directors: "Art Life" (Vida Artística) by Chen Yan and "Impressions of Sandun" by Song Jixiang.

The Russian film tells the story of the profession of a geologist, gold mining technologies, and research in the Ural Mountains. Filming took place in Sverdlovsk Oblast, one of Russia's key resource-rich areas. The film has already won an award at the I-Film Festival in Abu Dhabi in the "Best Documentary Film" category and was included in the competition programme of the "Rendezvous with Russia. Siberian Character" festival. The premiere took place in January in a cinema in Yekaterinburg.

Song Jixiang shared with TV BRICS that his film is dedicated to the themes of time, memory, and the preservation of cultural heritage. Through the perspective of Russian journalist Yuliya, viewers are introduced to the life of the ancient Chinese city of Sandun. The director emphasises the importance of traditional crafts, such as hairdressing, clockmaking, and photography, during the era of urbanisation, urging the preservation of the "soul of the city" and respect for cultural roots.

"Traditional crafts are the memory of an era. Preserving them is our duty to future generations," said Song Jixiang.

Chen Yan, in his conversation with TV BRICS, explained that the film "Art Life" explores the interaction of art, nature, and tradition in the art village of the West Lake district in Hangzhou. Through the stories of artists Wu Haiyan and Zhou Yang, the director demonstrates how art helps preserve cultural heritage and coexist harmoniously with nature in the face of rapid modernisation.

"Art is not just the pursuit of beauty, but also respect for nature, a hymn to life," said Chen Yan, emphasising the need for a global rethinking of the role of culture in sustainable development.

The International Festival in Gibara was founded by Cuban director Humberto Solas. The event is focused on preserving multiculturalism and places special emphasis on supporting local communities.

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