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"Tenderness, beauty and cordiality"

The children's stage of the Arctic open Festival was held in Arkhangelsk, and adults are expected in cinemas within a month

6 november 2022

The capital of Pomorie has turned into a cinema capital for children and teenagers for four days. From 2 to 5 November, 'Arctic open—to Children'—the first stage of the VI International cinema festival with the same name—was held in Arkhangelsk. More than 3,000 guests attended screenings, creative meetings and master classes.

This year, for the first time, the Arctic open Festival is held in two stages: it was decided to have a separate children's programme. Film events of the first stage were held in three towns of Pomorie at once—Arkhangelsk, Severodvinsk and Nyandoma.

'These included new works by Russian filmmakers, a meeting with young actors, an educational programme and a master class on wildlife filming. The events on offer proved interesting both for children, teenagers and their parents. Whole classes and families came to see the films and cartoons, and then they shared their impressions together,' noted Tamara Statikova, Director of the project.

The screenings were timed to coincide with the autumn holidays. Four Russian feature-length feature films and a collection of animated films from Soyuzmultfilm Studios were shown to schoolchildren on the big screen. All the films in the children's programme were presented by directors or cinematographers and child actors who played their first roles in them. 

Photo: arctic-open.com

After the screenings, the budding actors spoke at the conference 'Children in Russian Cinema' and shared their filming experience with the audience. The meeting was broadcast live on the festival's VKontakte social network and on the pro.culture.ru portal.

The youngest guests of the festival were the first to see the five new episodes of the animated series Umka. The premiere screening was presented by the series director Tatiana Kiseleva and 11-year-old Timofey Smirnov, who voiced the little boy Tayke.

'The cartoon teaches respect for each other, for elders, respect for nature. It is very important that it teaches the traditions of the North, the traditions of Chukotka. All our scripts are based on some peculiarities, customs that exist among the northern peoples, and we show this,' Kiseleva said.

The series is inspired by the Soviet cartoons Umka and Umka Looking for a Friend. 'We all adore the first Umka, and we wanted this tenderness, beauty and cordiality to carry over to today so that both young viewers and their parents can feel it,' Kiseleva admitted

Film screenings with Mikhail Rodionov, a director, cinematographer and member of the Guild of Non-fiction Films, also generated a lot of interest. He talked about his profession, funny and dangerous moments of filming in the wild. The participants of the meeting saw unique footage filmed in Primorye, Dagestan and other parts of Russia. Rodionov held a master class on film animation for young zoologists and environmentalists at the visitor centre of the Russian Arctic National Park.

Photo: arctic-open.com

'At the meeting with the director, the kids learned how to touch a wild pelican and stay alive, and, thanks to a properly installed camera trap, see the rarest jungle cat, which is listed in the Red Book,' told the teachers, who accompanied the students.

Thanks to the grant support of the project by the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, the entrance to all film events was free of charge.

That is not the end of the VI International Arctic open Film Festival. One month later, adult audiences are welcome to go to the cinemas. From 1 to 4 December, 30 films will be screened as part of the main programme, and several premieres are planned. Out-of-competition screenings of premiere feature films, documentaries and short films, the presentation of the project 'Women's Voice of the Arctic,' the creation of an original music video anthology 'Listen to the North!', a film marathon, the introduction of new VR film technology in film screenings and many other interesting events are waiting for the audience.

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