Welcome to the Russian Film Forum!

Russian Film Forum is showcasing the best new cinema from Russia and bringing a wealth of film talent and industry professionals to the Capital Region of New York State. It will be a public discussion involving three of our special guests: Ekaterina Toldonova, Pavel Fattakhutdinov and Andrei Zagdansky.

The program presents a selection of Russian feature films, documentaries and animations, along with an exciting line-up of gala screenings and special events.

February 5th, 2010 Friday

Opening Night

Reception: 7 pm - 8 pm Russian food and wine will be served.

Film Screening: 8 pm - 9:30 pm. Documentary Film "Konstantin and Mouse" with special guest director Andrei Zagdansky

In 1972 a collection of Russian poetry by five young St. Petersburg poets was published in New York . Two of the young poets – Konstantin Kuzminsky and Josef Brodsky soon escaped the iron grip of the Soviet Union and immigrated to the United States. Josef Brodsky became famous, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986 and died of heart attack ten years later. Such a fulfilled destiny has eluded Konstantin, so far.L'Enfant terrible of the Russian art émigré scene Konstantin K. Kuzminsky lives in a tiny upstate New York village, on the bank of the Delaware River in an old shanty house near a railway crossing. His freedom is complete. His devotion to art is absolute. He lives with his books, his art collection, his cats and his poetry. And his wife: Mouse.

About the filmmaker: Born and raised in Kiev, Andrei Zagdansky directed/scripted a number a number of “perestroika” films from 1988 through 1992. The true coming of age was his first feature Interpretation of Dreams. Interpretation of Dreams juxtaposed a dialog between the filmmaker and Dr. Sigmund Freud and the history of the Soviet Union and Europe. The result was an "astonishing marriage of Freudian thinking and history” (Boston Globe). Film received Grand-Prix at home, critical acclaim abroad and was included in New Directors/New Films Series for the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1991. In 1992 Andrei and his family settled in the United States. Two years later he received the Rockefeller Intercultural Scholarship. For several years Andrei worked as a free-lance producer for Russian-American Broadcasting company, and taught several courses on Film History at the New School University. In 2002 Andrei produced/directed Vasya, which explores striking images of Vasiliy Sitnikov-artist and his much puzzling myth. In 2006: Konstantin and Mouse, about a Russian avant-garde figure and performance poet Konstantin K. Kuzminsky. In 2007: Orange Winter, a feature documentary, that chronicles political turmoil in the streets of Kiev in 2004. He is currently working on another feature documentary My Father Evgeni.

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Free Family Films

1 pm - 2:30 pm Featuring an assortment of animated and live action films for the whole family from Master-Film Studio, Moscow

3 pm - 5:00 pm "The Twelfth Summer", full feature film, film director Pavel Fattakhutdinov. Winner of the Golden Swanaward at the jubilee International Youth Film Festival in Moscow. -XXVth Moscow International festival for children and youth (won - Grand Prize); Orlyenok festival of visual arts (won - for “best cinematography”); XVIIth International children film festival “Artek” (won – “Best family feature”); “Alyue Parusa” festival (won – “best good-hearted feature”); “Kinoshock” film festival (won – “best child actor”); Luchezarniy Angel film festival (won – “best depiction of the youth issues”, special prize); -“Kinotavrick” International sports and arts festival (won – “best child (boy) actor”); “Golden Elephant” Film Festival (Hyderabad, India)

Mishka is a 12 year old boy with a whole summer vacation before him. He runs all the time. He runs home to meet his father coming back from his work. He runs to the river bank to swim searching for someone’s lost wristwatch. He runs all the time, and behind him is his mother calling: “Mishka!” but Mishka doesn’t hear her, he hurries to live his twelfth summer.

Gala Screening - Saturday February 6th, 2010 7pm

Admission: $8 per person, $15 Three Day Pass
Reception: 7 pm - 8 pm Russian food and wine will be served.
Film Screening: 8 pm - 9:30 pm. Feature Film "The Empress and the Rebel", 2008 with special guests: director Ekaterina Toldonova, and Pavel Fattakhutdinov
Roundtable Discussion: 9:30 pm - 10:15 pm. Filmakers Ekaterina Toldonova, and Pavel Fattakhutdinov. Examine why images of Russia captured by Russian documentary filmmakers are so different from those made by their western counterparts.

What is freedom in Russia? Why do the authorities treat the people like that? These questions are vital for The Empress and the Rebel. Catherine the Great wants answers not only from her circle but also from the rebellion leader Emelyan Pugachev.

Sunday February 7th, 11am - 4pm

Varies documentary films

Admission: $6 per person, $15 Three Day Pass
Roundtable Discussion: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

"Doesn't Hurt None". Director Igor Larionov, “Master-film” studio, Moscow

"No Toys". Director Andrey Titov, film company “Snega”, Ekaterinburg

"Liza". Director Pavel Fattakhutdinov, film company “Snega”, Ekaterinburg

Imagine that you’re 19, you’ve got your hopes and dreams just like everybody else of your age. But not everybody has a couple of crippled parents to take care of in what they call “the dirtiest city on the planet”. That is her story. Her name is Lisa. This documentary film by Pavel Fattakhutdinov, explores love and life, betrayal and commitment, and the strains that make it tough for families to stay together in contemporary Russia.

"USSA - Russia _Transit". Director Andrey Titov, film company “Snega”, Ekaterinburg

Three men from the provinces are in search of the meaning of life. One of them sees his calling in collecting rarities of the fallen empire, another – in creating an estate, while the third one is trying to make a connection with aliens. Each of them is walking his own winding road…