The Ministry of Culture holds a press conference on the preparation for the XI Kazan International Festival of Muslim Cinema

Guzel Azatovna Nigmatullina shared information about the preparations for the festival. Currently, this process, she said, is in full swing, and enters its active phase. Already, the directorate of the festival received 160 films - applications for participation.

She also reminded reporters that this year already 11th festival will be held, which at one time was organized by the Council of Muftis of Russia, Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatrartsan and supported by the President of Tatarstan.

The objectives of the festival is to demonstrate through art of cinema  universal moral values ​​and cultural traditions,  bearing the ideas   of  peacemaking, tolerance and humanism, the formation of an objective view on Islam and Muslims, exchange of experience between  cinematographers from different countries and different artistic schools of Tatarstan national cinema.

This film festival, of course, has its own face. Not accidentally, the international community exposes to it a growing interest. The festival has become an active and full participant in international cultural life, a constructive platform for creative dialogue between different cultures, as well as - a dialogue with the society ...

We can confidently say that the motto of the festival "Through dialogue of cultures - the culture of dialogue" is undoubtedly proved its worth – said G.A. Nigmatullina.

The festival has become also an important stimulus for the development of Tatarstan cinema. It is in recent years, an increasing number of Tatarstan film production, applied for   the festival, entering competitive and non-competitive programs. And most importantly -    diploma films by some of our graduates of the Institute of Film and Television at KazKGUCA   are favored inclusion in the festival program.

Today, our fellow countrymen films shown at the venues of various international film festivals in different countries.

The significance of this event in the cultural life   is growing. This is clearly evidenced by the interest of the press to this film forum. If the first festival was accredited  by  92 journalists representing local, federal and foreign media, at the 10th Festival in 2014 their number exceeded 300.

By the way, taking into account the wishes voiced earlier, in 2014, significantly  increased the number of venues, which showed films of the festival. There were - 12.

Upon finishing  her speaking,     Guzel Azatovna  Nigmatullina  invited journalists, the public of the republic to cooperate with the organizers, the festival direction, the Ministry of Culture. We are open to discuss proposals for the festival program.

Executive director of the festival Marat Davletov briefly reported on the main principles of formation of the festival, its date (September 5-11, 2015.).

Collection of applications began already  in September 2014, immediately after the jubilee   of the X Festival. As already mentioned, today  the directorate of the festival  has received 160 films-applications.  "A full  meter (a feature  film) "  is in led in fiction and nonfiction films.

And -  M. Davletov said  - we not only are   receiving applications, but are actively are  working on the "production" of films. Our representatives traveled to various film festivals, met with studios and creative unions, see  and offer to participate in the Kazan Film Festival the films that meet its  idea, have the appropriate  artistic level.

Applications will be accepted until July 1. The program will be established before  August 1.

The accepted by the selection committee   films  will be  included  in the main competition of the festival poster 2015. Other submitted pictures   having  not passed the competition, may be shown under non-competitive programs.

Emphasis -  Marat Davletov  said  - we do on parallel programs.

 This   is the following :

- A program of contemporary Yugoslav cinema on the theme of cultural interaction during and after armed conflict;

- A program of documentary films about the educator-Muslims (with accompanying lectures);

- Films of directors of Northern Europe;

- A program of motion pictures, film adaptations of famous literary works (dedicated to the Year of Russian literature);

- Followers of world film festivals in the program "Window to Europe";

- Films on the theme of emigration.

This is definitely an impressive list, and the organizers hope that the films provided in parallel programs, will also cause a lot of interest among  Kazan viewers.

The practice of previewing films of  competition program,  followed by a discussion of the media and   RT cultural communities to be continued.

The work is in progress on the creation of a special program for young filmmakers, in which master classes to be held  by  guests and participants of the festival on the theory and practice of cinema.

Our public is beginning to understand -   the organizers emphasized - that the films shown at the festival, most often  will not be able to see a wide release. They have a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the movie by the way of life of many people, imbued with their problems and the search for the meaning of existence in this world, the eternal theme of the struggle between good and evil ...

By the way, traditionally,   the cinema "Mir" will  organize replay  of  show of  festival films -  Marat Davletov reminded.

As before, the selection committee is  headed by Sergei Lavrentiev -  a famous Russian film critic with extensive experience in international film festivals - M. Davletov answered a reporter's question. As part of the selection committee  also editor of section of  the cinema-newspaper "Culture" (Moscow), Ph.D. Svetlana Khokhriakova, First Deputy Chairman of RT Religious Board of Muslims Rustam Batrov  and others.

Guzel Azatovna explained that the festival organizers deliberately maintain a certain stability of the composition of the selection committee, which allows you to track the dynamics of the festival, to make the most thorough and objective analysis of the level of incoming movies, etc.

The jury is still in making,  and will be announced in June or July.

Considerable attention  by RT Deputy Minister G. Nigmatullina and CEO M.Davletov  at a press conference was given to the announced    by "Tatarkino" open contest  for the manufacture of statues, the main prize of the Kazan Film Festival. There were a few attempts, but all previous versions did not satisfy the organizers. So now  virtually anyone  competition can participate in it. The prize should symbolize the idea of ​​a film forum and answer the most of its  motto. It should also be aesthetically pleasing  shape created from modern materials.

Deadline for layout prize - until April 25. The winner will receive a cash prize of 100 thousand rubles.

G. Nigmatulina  expressed the hope that there would be a lot of  proposals. To discuss the options for the layout of the prize will be involved in a wide range of not only specialists. Layouts will also be presented on the websites of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatartsan  and Tatarkino. We need a prize with a long fate - said Guzel Azatovna.

The  contest  commission to determine a winner will include 6 people.

Marat Davletov added that the festival administration intends to acquire copyrights to the statue, which will be recognized as worthy of embodying the idea of ​​the festival.

The statuette will be awarded to the winners of the festival on 10 nominations.

On the question of the budget of the festival RT  Deputy Minister of Culture   G. Nigmatullina   a break-down  of financial investments in the international film festival. Each year, the festival budget is about 15 million rubles. 2 million. rub.- budgeted by  Ministry of Culture of Tatarstan , 1900ths.rub. – Grant from   the  RT President, from 8 to 10 million rubles - in addition allocated from the state budget.

In 2014, it was much easier with the fees, as some guests have agreed to work at the festival for free.

In addition, it should be noted with a sense of great gratitude,  participation of a number of our non-profit organizations   in  inviting   last years   festivals , for example, of  top stars of the world cinema as Krzysztof Zanussi and Jos Stelling. It was a very strong support for which we  were grateful not only to   the organizers of the festival, but, I suppose, and the audience as well - all the participants of the festival.

With regard to funding, what do you think - whether or not a superstar at our festival? - asked the reporters Guzel Azatovna - Or is it too involves great expense? I would like to hear your opinion ...

Judging by the reaction of the media,   they did not comment on this question, they were not ready for any  univocal   answer.

During the press conference, RTV Deputy Minister of Culture G.Nigmatullina   repeatedly stressed the need for the widest possible coverage of all stages of the preparation, timely notification of the public about the details of the program, the time and place of films and meetings with their creators. Information on the festival and its program and guests are required to promptly and timely reach population. And a lot depends on the activity of the media.

Presumably, the press conference participants this   accepted this request with understanding.

Raisa Saf