Russian Film Week Explained

Russian Film Week
Location:	London, United Kingdom
Founded:	2016
Language:	Russian, English
Awards:	Golden Unicorn Awards

Russian Film Week is an annual film festival in London founded in 2016 by Filip Perkon (Perkon Productions Ltd.) with a group of volunteers on a non-profit basis. It is currently the biggest Russian film and culture event outside of Russia.^[1] From 2017 the festival is supported by the Russian Ministry of Culture and the British Council^[2] and is aimed to promote Russian film to international audiences, stimulate European-Russian film production collaboration and build cultural links between Russia and the UK.

The festival screens both Russian and co-produced feature films, shorts, documentary and animated films. The programme of the Russian Film Week includes a number of satellite events, such as the Co-production Day (Russian: День Копродукции), master-classes by the award-winning filmmakers, round tables, lectures, exhibitions and other entertainment events for film-makers, distributors and audiences from both Russia and Europe.^{[3] [4]} In 2016, the invited filmmakers included Anna Melikyan,^[5] Renata Litvinova, Alexey Uchitel, Johnny O’Reilly, Vera Glagoleva and the founder of the Raindance Film Festival Elliot Grove, who is also one of the patrons of the Russian Film Week.^{[6] [7]}

The Golden Unicorn Awards ceremony concludes the festival to recognise excellence in 11 categories plus a special award and is held in the format of a Charity Gala in support of a chosen charity - in 2016 this was the Gift of Life UK.^{[8] [9]} The Best Film and Best Actor awards of 2016 were given to The Student by Kirill Serebrennikov and its lead actor Pyotr Skvortsov^[10] and Renata Litvinova received the Best Actress award for her role in Anna Melikyan's film About Love.

In 2017, the Russian Film Week was held between 19 and 26 November.^[11]

The full list of winners of 2017 Russian Film Week 2017 ^[12]

Best Film:Loveless (Andrey Zvyagintsev)

Best Screenplay:Loveless (Oleg Negin, Andrey Zvyagintsev)

Best Actor:Aleksandr Yatsenko (Arrhythmia)

Best Actress:Maryana Spivak (Loveless)

Young Talent:Darya Zhovner (Closeness)

Best Short Film:The law of excluded third (Aleksandra Sokolovskaya)

Best Documentary:Lake Vostok (Jekaterina Yeremenko)

Best Animation:Listening to Beethoven (Garry Bardin)

Best Film About Russia:Lady Macbeth (William Oldroyd)

Best Foreign Documentary Film:Oleg and the rare arts (Andres Duque)

The full list of winners of 2018 Russian Film Week ^[13]

Best Film:How Viktor “The Garlic” Took Alexey “The Stud” to the Nursing Home. Director - Alexander Hant

Best Screenplay:How Viktor “The Garlic” Took Alexey “The Stud” to the Nursing Home

Best Actor:Evgeny Tkachuk (How Viktor “The Garlic” Took Alexey “The Stud” to the Nursing Home)

Best Actress:Irina Starshenbaum (Summer)

Best Emerging Talent:Timothy Zhalin, Director (Coupled)

Best Documentary:INTO Nation of the Great Odessa

Best Short Film:The sign

Best Foreign Film with a Russian connection:Sergio & Sergei

Best Foreign Documentary Film:A Sniper’s War

Venues

The inaugural Russian Film Week events were held at several venues across London and at Cambridge University.^[14]

The 2018 awards ceremony took place at the Sheraton Park Lane London.^[15]

Notes and References

1. News: Russian Film Week 2016 - Regent Street Cinema. Regent Street Cinema. 2017-06-27. en-GB.
2. Web site: Russian Film Week. www.russianfilmweek.org. en. 2017-06-28.
3. Web site: Russian Film Week. www.russianfilmweek.org. en. 2017-06-28.
4. News: Russian Film Week Launches in London. 2017-06-28. en.
5. Web site: RUSSIAN FILM WEEK: Screening and discussion with Anna Melikyan. Pushkin House. en-GB. 2017-06-28.
6. Web site: Russian Film Week. www.russianfilmweek.org. en. 2017-06-28.
7. Web site: Russian Film Week. www.russianfilmweek.org. en. 2017-06-28.
8. News: Russian Film Week & Golden Unicorn Awards - British Cinematographer. British Cinematographer. 2017-06-28. en-GB.
9. News: New Ralph Fiennes film to grace London's Russian Film Week. Guzeva. Alexandra. 2016-11-25. Russia Beyond The Headlines. 2017-06-28. en-US.
10. Web site: The Student – Trailer. Noir. John McArthurEditor-in-Chief at Moviescramble A. Fan of all things cinematic with a love of Film. Sci-Fi. 2017-01-31. moviescramble. 2017-06-28. day. Julia Roberts in Notting Hill He hopes to grow up some.
11. Web site: Russian Film Week. www.russianfilmweek.org. en. 2017-06-28.
12. Web site: The Golden Unicorn Awards Honour Film Makers For Second Year Running . Tamara. Orlova Alvarez. Ikon London Magazine. 1 January 2018.
13. Web site: Natalia Vodianova The Golden Unicorn Awards . Ikon London Magazine . Tamara . Orlova Alvarez . 1 December 2018.
14. Web site: Russian Film Festival in CambridgeCambridge Russian-Speaking Society. www.camruss.com. en-US. 2017-06-28.
15. Web site: Natalia Vodianova The Golden Unicorn Awards . Ikon London Magazine. 1 December 2018.