Kazan International Muslim Film Festival

Kazan International Muslim Film Festival is held in the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan since 2005. The first festival was initiated by the Council of Muftis of Russia, Federal agency for culture and cinematography of Russia, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan with the support of the president of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The motto of the festival is “To the dialogue of cultures through the culture of dialogue”.

The aim of the festival is the experience exchange of the workers in the sphere of culture and Arts of Russia and Muslim countries of the neighboring and far-abroad countries, display of the creative achievements of the Muslim cinematographers and the representatives of the other religious affiliation, who make films popularizing human, spiritual and moral values as well as cultural traditions, the formation of the objective views of the world and Russian community about Muslims and Islam.

The founders: the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan city administration. Festival is held with the support of the president of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The members of the Selection Committee and the Jury are well-known professionals in Arts – filmmakers, cameramen, film critics from all over the world.

The number of the participants and the quantity of the films are increasing year by year. 40 films from 12 countries were sent for the fist festival, and 400 films from 67 countries were sent for the 5th festival. Its geography is expanding, and the number of the participating countries is increasing as well. Today Europe, the USA, Australia joined the countries of East, Asia, Indo-Chinese peninsula. About 200 films from 50 countries are already received, these are the latest data of the report about preparation for the forthcoming event. So the international statues of the festival is annually being proved by the participant and visits of honourable guests from all over the world.

The films reflecting human, spiritual and moral values as well as cultural traditions, supporting the ideas of peacemaking, tolerance and humanity regardless of the nationality and religious affiliation of the authors are selected for the festival.

The selection committee members are honourable Russian and foreign film critics. They thoroughly analyze the films sent for the festival, and as a result really interesting, original, vivid films that deserve the audience attention and praise of professional are selected for the competitive program.

Festival awards:

10 statuettes according to nominations,
Special prize of the president of the Republic of Tatarstan “For the humanism in the cinematography”,
Special prize of the Russian film critics’ guild,
Special prizes of festival sponsors and partners.

During the festival take place such events as:

Competitive and non competitive film shows,
Master classes with the cinematographers,
Creative meetings with the festival participants,
Press-conferences,
Round table discussions,
Days of cinematography of the participant countries,
Opening and closing ceremony, award of the winners,
Excursions,
Gala-shows of the Muslim fashion and many others.

The honourable guests of the festival were Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Adjani, Mark Dacascos, Aydan Sener, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Armand Assante, Azizollah Hamidnezhad, Ornella Muti, Iya Ninidze, Nikita Mikhalkov, Eldar Ryazanov, Yevgeni Mironov, Margarita Terehova, Aristarh Livanov, Alexander Mitta, Igor Petrenko, Alla Surikova, Vladimir Khotinenko, Armen Jigarkhanyan, Veniamin Smekhov, Lidia Fedoseeva-Shukshina, Olga Kabo, Yelena Kondulainen, Olga Budina and many others.

The first statuette owner in 2005 was filmmaker Vladimir Khotinenko. His film “Mussulman” made in 1995 became the model of cinematography reflection of the main idea of the festival, as the organizers thought.

Festival winners in different years were such films as “Sorcerer” film by film director Mir-Kasim Oktai (Azerbaijan), “Tear of the cold” directed by Azizollah Hamidnezhad, Iran, “Bab’Aziz” directed by Nacer Khemir (France-Germany-Tunisia-Hungary-Iran-Great Britain), “Mi” for Mom” director Rasul Mollagolipur, Iran, “Jodhaa Akbar” director Ashutosh Govariher, India, “One War” directed by Vera Glagoleva (Russia).

Kazan International Muslim Film Festival became a great motivation to develop the cinematography of the Republic of Tatarstan. At the first festival Farit Bikchantaev, who played the main character in the film “Kuktau” (Tatarstan) directed by Ildar Yagafarov won the “The best actor” award. At the third festival the film “The Dilemma” directed by Ramil Tuhvatullin received People’s Choice Award. The film “Three-legged mare” directed by Nuraniya Zamaleeva received “The best cameraman” award of the 4th festival. At the 5th festival 10 films represented the Republic of Tatarstan. The leading heroes of the film “Eagles” won “The best actor” award.