Russian Film Festival opens in Astana with free screenings and cultural exchange
Russian Film Festival Kicks Off in Astana as Part of Russia's Culture Days in Kazakhstan
The Russian Film Festival has opened in Astana, running until April 26 as part of the broader Days of Russian Culture in Kazakhstan. The event aims to further strengthen cultural and humanitarian ties between the two nations.
At the opening ceremony, Elza Antonova, Director General of ROSKINO (Russian Cinema Fund), read a welcome address from Olga Lyubimova, Russia's Minister of Culture.
"The Russian Film Festival in Kazakhstan is a significant event that unites our countries through art and cinema. It will serve as another key platform for fostering international cultural exchange and deepening the fruitful cooperation between our peoples," the message stated.
Antonova emphasized that while ROSKINO organizes Russian film festivals worldwide each year, the event in Kazakhstan holds special importance. She noted that the program features films currently in wide release in Russia, already acclaimed by audiences and showcasing the diversity of modern Russian cinema.
Aidar Omarov, acting president of Kazakhfilm (Shaken Aimanov Film Studios), remarked that such initiatives consistently reinforce bilateral cultural ties and create new opportunities to promote national cinema.
The festival opened with the sports drama First at the Olympics. Over four days, audiences will have free access to seven Russian films spanning various genres, catering to a broad viewership. The lineup also includes The Aviator, Buratino, Cheburashka 2, Red Silk, Three Cats: Time Travel, and August.
In addition to screenings, the festival will host meetings with members of the creative delegation and masterclasses for Kazakhstani students in the arts. Actress Daria Kukarskaya, star of The Aviator, and actor Anton Savvatimov, who appears in First at the Olympics, will present their films to attendees.
