Russian-British film festival opens this week

By New Worker correspondent

Russian films are routinely ignored by the mainstream media with screenings usually confined to niche slots on streaming services or independent cinemas that have been closed along with the rest of the entertainment industry under the current lockdown. But the internet has provided an alternative outlet to explore some of the best that Russian cinema has to offer to the world.
    The Sochi International Film Festival (SIFFA) opened its online British programme with film screenings and creative meetings this week.
    "As you know, 10th February is Diplomacy Day in Russia and around the world. Our Russo-British Music and Film Festival can be called the most diplomatic film festival, as it was created to build bridges between Russia and the UK through the power of film and music. Despite all obstacles, we will open the doors of our virtual cinema hall SIFFA in the UK on 10th February with the support of our partner, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the UK," says festival president Lyubov Balagova.
The film festival is keeping up with the times by creating its own Siffa Online platform for film screenings and all of the creative zoom-ins will be posted on the festival's YouTube channel.
    "This might be a good time to explore Russian cinema, speak to exceptional individuals and get an insight into everything on their list for 2021, as well as talk to those who have achieved a lot and can motivate or just inspire us," say the film festival organisers.
SIFFA UK will feature films by Karen Shakhnazarov, Vladimir Khotinenko, Anatoly Balchev and Natalia Ivanova including Vysotsky.'Odessa Notebook, White Tiger, Muslim, No Strangers and others. Each film will be followed by a Q&A session and the programme can easily be accessed by going straight to the Sochi Film Awards website: https://siffarussuk.com/
     Natalya Bondarchuk will come to the virtual meeting to share the memories of her father, film director and Oscar winner Sergey Bondarchuk and talk about her life and work as an actress and film director.
    "I invite everyone to join us. You may not get a second chance to see our unique programme, so plan your days so as to have an unforgettable time with us," the president of the film festival said in an appeal to all film lovers and connoisseurs.