“A Grain of Sugar” of Iranian production voted as VIIIth Kazan Muslim Film Festival’s best picture

The VIII Kazan Muslim Film Festival is over .

People’s Artist of Russia, Soviet and Russian film director Andrei Konchalovsky, Taganka Theatre head Valery Zolotukhin, film director Alexander Orlov and his spouse Alla Budnitskaya, as well as many others, walked on the red carpet. The closing ceremony was hosted by the granddaughter of the Tatar poet Musa Jalil, Lilian Navrozashvili.

The Iran-made film “A Grain of Sugar” was voted as the festival’s best picture.

The Kenya-made film “The Music Club of Zanzibar” was recognised as the best full-length feature film. The American film director Daniel Lindsay, author of the Oscar-winning “Undefeated”, gave the prize. He thanked President of Tatarstan and all those involved in its organisation for the beautiful festival.

“The festival has shown how universal the language of cinema is,” D. Lindsay said.

“There Lived A Mama”, made by the Russian film director Anna Artemieva, has this year been voted as the best animation film.

Two pictures won in the nomination Best Short-length Feature Film, Russia-made “The House of Tsia” and Iran-made “The Sound of Rain”.

“I thank all those who helped me find my way to this festival and am happy to be here today in this blessed city, Kazan,” actor Valery Zolotukhin said. He gave the best actress prize to the female team of A Grain of Sugar for wonderful representation of an Iranian woman.

Alla Budnitskay gave the same male prize to the actor playing in the Turkish picture” A Hidden Life”. Tatarstan was her historical homeland, the actress said during the ceremony.

from Tetuysh and m“My mum comes y great grandfather was once the head of Kazan,” she shared.

The Muslim world had a unique power, director Andrei Konchalovsky said.

“This festival needs to channel this potential, to be used peacefully and beneficially. Tatarstan is up to the task,” he is convinced.

He then gave the full-length feature film best direction award to the French film “Top Floor, Left Wing’s” director Angelo Cianci.

The audience was treated to the performances of the La Primavera chamber orchestra with singer Rezeda Galimova, as well as of Lilian Navrozhishvili.