The triumph of “Father Minai”, awards and applause: how did the “Listapad” end in Minsk?

"Listapad" is the last session. As a rule, the closing film of the Minsk International Film Festival is its “Gold”, Grand Prix. But not this time. And for good reason. The best in the 32nd season was the military drama “Father Minai: Partisan Legend” directed by Igor Ugolnikov. The Belarusian-Russian film was watched at the very beginning of Listapad – the opening film, the world premiere.

And decided not to repeat. “With love from Belarus” is the motto of the ceremony, which concluded the official part of the XXXII Minsk International Film Festival. The names of the winners are already inscribed in the history of world cinema. In the cinema "Moscow" working crew ONT. So what's in the final credits of Listapad?

Aleksandr Matyas, correspondent: “Today, honestly, I would look Alexey Kravchenko in the eyes again – the screen “Father Minai. Partisan Legend”. Grand Prix with pride for his family. I want to believe that this is a new golden time of Belarusian cinema, which, by the way, all the participants of the closing ceremony, which takes place in the Moscow cinema, said.

The closing film of the Minsk International Film Festival “Listapad” was the film “That Child” from Myanmar directed by Aung Myat Tu. He was awarded the prize of the President of Belarus “For Humanism and Spirituality in Cinema”. Very touching picture, it will last 2 hours. In general, this year, Listapad focuses on exotic Asia. In Myanmar, we will also now look for the best female performer.

Aleksandr Matyas, correspondent: Chinese filmmakers went on the stage of the Moscow cinema – there was the best directorial work in the main feature film competition and cinematography. The best soundtrack is of course India, Bollywood after all. Awarded with awards, maple leaves and representatives of Pakistan, Iran. This year, the premiere – in the Year of the Belarusian woman – is the prize of the Ministry of Culture of Belarus “For Spiritual Power” named after Margarita Kasymova, actress, screenwriter, director of the cult film “Son for Father”. The first award was given to representatives of Egypt for the film “She”. The winners also received the best works from 8 competition programs. I calculated that 38 awards were awarded at Listapadze. This is an absolute record, such unheard-of generosity. Well, I propose to listen to the guests of the closing ceremony of the XXXII Minsk International Film Festival Listapad.

Assol Maldokmatova, Chairman of the jury of the national competition, Honored Worker of Culture of Kyrgyzstan: Belarus has three brands. The first brand is the President of your country Alexander Lukashenko. And I respect him for his patronage and patronage of this film festival on such a long trajectory. The second is the Slavic Bazaar, and the third, of course, is Listapad. Listapad has established itself as a multicultural platform, thanks to which we find creative unions. On the sidelines of this film festival, we have already managed to agree on many world projects. And today, when you hear it in Hollywood, you know, having such a warm memory is worth a lot. It is very important that today Belarus unites the whole world. Look at the number of participating countries! And what extraordinary people they are! Today I was teaching a master class at BSU, I was met by the rector of the Belarusian State University Andrei Dmitrievich Korol. And I will say that the students, first of all, are highly educated, despite the fact that this is the first or second year, and their need is great. So you see the potential. I am in love with the Belarusian people

Russian actress Elena Borzovoi asked her opinion about the film “Father Minai: Partisan Legend”.

Elena Borzova, member of the jury of the main competition of feature films, actress (Russia): “You know, I generally like the work of Ugolnikov, and I saw his “Brest Fortress”. I just saw Father Minai. I generally saw about Father Minai – “Fatherland” was called the film “Belarusfilm”, and Yuri Vasilyevich Gorobets, my favorite artist, played there. And I will tell you that the director’s position is completely different. But Ugolnikov managed to rehabilitate in some moments that embarrassed me in that picture, purely the interpretation of the event itself. This man. This man is an event, this is a legend. He made a real legend. And this is a legend in which you want to be equal, and you want to believe that it was all true, and imitate, and be like him. So it's very difficult! But I believe that this will be an opening for everything, not only Belarusian cinema, but for our Russian cinema in general. This is very important for our history.”.

Igor Ugolnikov, director of the film “Fatherland Minai: Partisan Legend”, People’s Artist of Russia: For me, first of all, the festival was remembered with the applause of the audience after the demonstration of our picture. After all, we showed it for the first time to the viewer, and more importantly to the Belarusian viewer. As soon as the credits began, the drum, the audience in our hall, in this room, stood up and applauded for a long time. We went on stage and bowed for a long time. I don't know how many minutes it lasted, but it was sincere. And, of course, the most important thing for me is the reaction of the audience. Prizes, of course, are important. I hope that this picture will have a great festival fate, but above all it should have an audience fate. And most of all I would like to see in Russia... I am not worried about Belarus, I understand that the viewer will go and watch such a picture here in Belarus. But the Russian audience must fight to lure him to this film. Well, I think there will be such an opportunity for us, and in February, when the picture is released on all screens, we will try to make the Russian audience interested in this picture.

By the decision of the international jury of the Grand Prix "Gold Listapad" for the best feature film was awarded to the film "Father Minai. Partisan Legend", directed by Igor Ugolnikov. To receive the award, the film director himself went on stage.

Alexander Matyas, correspondent: “Fatherland Minai, Partisan Legend” will return to the Belarusian screens with People’s Artist Alexei Kravchenko, who played the Hero of the Soviet Union Minai Shmyrev. So, it will return to the Belarusian screens – since February, a wide rental of the picture. The theatrical version, however, is 2 hours, that is, 38 minutes shorter than the directorial version that was presented at Listapadze. The festival hosted 82 sessions and featured 139 films from 55 countries. There was a lot to choose from. The program tapes – both competitive and non-competitive – were viewed by about 10 thousand spectators. This is only in the capital, because the shows of Listapad took place in the regions of the country. This year, the Audience Award “Listapada” is sent to Israel – the best picture was recognized by domestic viewers as the “Wedding Artist”, there and the best performer of the male role. We hope to see this movie again in the project "Echo Listapada".

Read also:

1. 1.The film “Father Minai: Partisan Legend” won the Grand Prix “Listapada”
2. 2.“Listapad” at the finish: in Minsk sum up the results of the film festival and name the winners