19th Kinotavr Open Russian Film Festival Award Winners

Every year in June the self described as “the largest national film festival” takes place in the Black Sea coast in Sochi, Russia. Recently they had the closing ceremony and announced the award winners. At their official site they still do not have the award winners, but here are some that I was able to identify from different sources.

Grand Prix: Shultes, Bakur Bakuradze, Russia, 2008
Best Director: Alexander Proshkin for Zhivi I Pomni (Live and Remember), Russia, 2008
Best Script: Pyotr Lutsik and Alexei Samoriadov for Dikoye Polye (Wild Field), Mikhail Kalatozishvili, Russia, 2008
Best Actor: Jethro Skinner for +1 aka Plyus Odin (Plus One), Oksana Bychkova, Russia, 2008
Best Actress: Ksenia Rappoport, Yuryev Den (Yuri’s Day), Kirill Serebrenikikov, Russia, 2008 (yes, she’s the one from the amazing La Sconosciuta!!!)
Best Debut Film: Nirvana, Igor Voloshin, Russia, 2008 (I know I HAVE to see it)
Best Cinematography: Ilya Demin for Novaya Zemlya (Terra Nova), Alexander Melnik, Russia, 2008

Best Commercial Project Diploma: Anton Melnik for Novaya Zemlya (Terra Nova), Alexander Melnik, Russia, 2008
Russian Guild of Film Critics White Elephant Prize for Best Film: Dikoye Polye (Wild Field), Mikhail Kalatozishvili, Russia, 2008

As soon as they post the award winners in their site I will review the accuracy of the info I’m including here. To check all the award winners go here, but we will have to wait until they update their site. Still, you can check all the films that were in competition, out of competition, and the shorts.

This fest really called my attention because this year was a showcase to introduce new Russian filmmakers, as most movies are first feature films. Then this seems as a classy art-cinema fest that last year opening film was none other than amazing Izgnanie (The Banishment).