From September 19 to 23, the Russian film festival returns, as it does every year. For the inauguration of this 5th edition, Nikolaï Borodatchev, the general director of Gosfilmofond of Russia, along with actresses, directors, and advisors, reminded us of the importance of Russian culture in France, both artistically and politically speaking.
Nikolaï Borodatchev confides in us the doubt he had at the first edition. In 2013, he questioned whether the continuity of the project had real importance and acknowledges M. Estrosi’s efforts to sustain the event. “It’s an opportunity to showcase all the masterpieces of Russian heritage. There is a real interest. We have received requests from the public. Thus, the festival’s program is designed based on all these requests,” explains M. Borodatchev. The festival is built on two pillars, retrospectives and new films. It promises feature films rich in spiritual, artistic, and acting aspects. They are all in the original version with French subtitles and free of charge.
This 5th Russian film festival opens with the premiere of “Paradis” by the well-known Andrei Konchalovski. To celebrate the 80th anniversary of his “great filmmaker,” the director of Gosfilmofond also offers The Nest of Gentlefolk.
The festival also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 1917 revolution by screening the films Chapaev by the Vasilyev brothers and October by Sergei Eisenstein. M. Borodatchev draws attention to An Unfinished Battle. This documentary film contains unpublished footage found in Hitler’s archives and shot by Nazi soldiers.
For the young audience, full-length animated films are offered, including The Little Humpbacked Horse. Nikolaï Borodatchev quotes John Paul II: “If you want to properly educate your child, you must absolutely let them watch Soviet-era animated films.”
The program includes 13 feature films, 2 documentaries, and 3 animated films waiting for you at the Cinémathèque de Nice or the Pathé cinema in Masséna.
A festival uniting Nice and Russia
There is indeed a second reason for creating this event: to unify the “fraternal” French and Russian peoples. In 2017, Nice and Saint Petersburg celebrated 20 years of twinning. Sergey Molchanov, the general counselor of Russia in Marseille, acknowledges the strong link between the two cultures, despite a complicated political situation: “The particular cultural link between France and Russia dates back several centuries. Throughout this entire period, not even political upheavals have been able to impede the interest of these peoples.”
For the record, political relations between France and Russia have been limited due to the annexation of Crimea and the suspension of Russia from the G8.
M. Molchanov relies on culture and sets political conflicts aside: “Nothing is more pleasing than engaging in things that bring us all together and allow us to overcome the artificial barriers created between peoples.” Meanwhile, Yuliya Vysotskaya, an actress playing the lead role in Paradis, supports more spiritual reasons: “I think the French understand the mysterious Russian soul that all directors seek to show.”
Océane Da Silva
