Russian film festival of debuts returns to Omsk

A Russian film festival specialising in debut films will return to the Siberian city of Omsk for the second year in a row, providing a platform for the country’s emerging cinematic talent. Movement: the National Film Festival of Debuts will premiere seven works spanning film, documentary and television in the main competition.

Speaking to The Calvert Journal, Stas Tyrkin, the festival’s programme director, stressed the importance of the event. He said: “The Russian film world is largely indifferent. Nobody takes much care anymore. Everybody is endlessly partying and it’s always the usual suspects. There’s a need for renewal so we try to introduce completely new names into the mix and draw attention to films that would otherwise be ignored.”

While many of the directors in the main category are unknown there are also more familiar names such as Andrei Proshkin, who has been nominated for his debut Second World War television series The Translator (2013). The main programme will be judged by veteran director Vladimir Khotinenko, actors Antoly Bely and Daria Moroz, and producer Elena Yatsura.

The second edition of the festival now includes a competition for the shorts programme. Director Sergei Loban, best known for his cult 2011 film Chapiteau Show, features in the lineup with his latest short film New Distance (2013).

Movement opens on 23 April with the Russian premiere of Alexey Uchitel’s Break Loose (2013), a gritty crime thriller. Based on the novel Eight by Zakhar Prilepin, the film had its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last September and will be released in Russian cinemas in early May.