We aim to nurture a new generation of Russian film directors, one that is able to create brave and relevant films. With the aid of its partners the Fund organizes full filming cycle, from working on the director's script to film promotion at Russian and worldwide festivals.
«Vad'd'a. Toll-houses»
2023, 61 minutes
The film was shot between spring and winter of 2021 near Luzhitcy village located in the west area of Leningrad's region. Exactly in that period of time natural and social landscape in that area began to change drastically because of grandiose industrial building process. The situation exceedingly affects vozhan, they are a small people with thousands years of history, they survived through wars, revolutions and Stalin's rule. Now due to economic development era they are facing another challenge.
Written and directed by Nikita Dobrynin Camera: Kirill Dymov Sound Engineer: Igor Gubarev Art director: Alexander Sokurov Produced by Nikolai Yankin, Natalia Smagina, Anastasia Shatalova
Awards & festivals
International Festival of Film Debuts «Spirit of Fire»
Lendoc Film Festival 2023
«Knots»
2023, 83 minutes
It is the story of a mature man, a long-haul driver Berd and a 17-year-old girl Dina who gets married to him. Together they build the biggest house in the village. Berd's plan is to make it a symbol of his superiority over the other villagers. In the whirlwind of events the newlyweds overlook the circumstance that the house which they have been building for so long, has turned into an impregnable fortress.
Director: Oleg Khamokov Script: Zarina Kanukova Camera: Dmitry Petrenko Production design: Dmitry Tselikov Music: Murat Kabardokov Cast: Svetlana Mamresheva, Robert Saralp Produced by Nikolai Yankin, Natalia Smagina Cast: Svetlana Mamresheva, Robert Saralp, Tamara Balkarova, Alim Hokonov and others
Awards & festivals
Hainan International Film Festival
Independent International Film Festival SIFFA UK 2023
XVI International Film festival «East&West. Classics and Avant Garde»
International Film festival «Golden tower»
Film Festival «Stalker»
International Festival of Film Debuts «Spirit of Fire»
«Alive»
2022, 68 minutes
Dmitrii Poshtarenko recreated history in a panoramic view. Creators, artists and renovators made characters and decorations by hand which is helping to immerse viewer into events from war and to become a part of it: tanks, explosions, trains, destroyed houses and ruined nature is all around, even in the faces of wax figures of front-line soldiers you can see real emotions and life in their eyes.
Written and directed by Konstantin Selin Cinematography by Konstantin Selin, Iliya Shudegov Executive production by Anastasiya Shatalova Film editing by Konstantin Selin Sound design by Anastasiya Vladimirova Art direction byAlexander Sokurov Produced by Nikolai Yankin, Natalia Smagina Cast: Дмитрий Поштаренко
Awards & festivals
International documentary film festival «Flahertiana», 2022
Moscow international documentary film festival «Doker», 2022
International film festival of documentary melodrama «Saratov sufferings», 2022
National Prize « Laurel branch»
Film festival «Russia», 2022
III international film festival Made in Saint-Petersburg», 2023
National Prize Name for Dziga Vertov , 2022
«Zhenya and Vanya at the end of the world»
2022, 46 minutes
Zhenya is the head of the weather station, Vanya is the junior meteorologist and an au pair. A ship called «Mikhail Somov» comes to a cape Kanin Nos once a year bearing groceries. After ship is gone they are left alone due to next spring. One day they have to face the storm which leaves them without any connection to the world, alone with each other and horrendous weather for 3 days.
Written and directed by Anna Katorina Cinematography by Pavel Skvortsov Produced by Nikolai Yankin, Natalia Smagina, Anastasia Shatalova Art direction by Alexander Sokurov Film editing by Anna Katorina, Pavel Skvortsov, Denis Nazarov Music by Kirill Rihter Sound design by Alexander Vanyukov Cast: Evgenia Kostikova, Ivan Sivkov
Awards & festivals
International documentary film festival «Flahertiana», 2022
The international popular science and educational film festival «The World of Knowledge», 2022
Voices Film Festival, 2022
«Wavelike»
2022, 58 minutes
It was not just another expedition... Their main goal was to record in the Marble Gorge a fragment of the Gulag. Everything around came to life and began to find its voice.
Author of the idea: Alexey Bazyuk Written and directed by Sergey Kalvarsky Camera: Ivan Miklin Music: Nikolai Ogarkov Sound Engineer: Igor Gubarev Art direction by Alexander Sokurov Produced by Nikolai Yankin, Natalia Smagina, Anastasia Shatalova Cast: Ivan Reshetnyak, Alexander Chubinets
«Tembot»
2022, 82 minutes
Tembot has a dream - to be needed and to have a special place in anyones heart. He doesn't have one in his mother's heart because he is too resemblant to his father so she rejects him again and again. His close friend also expelles him from his heart - he sets him up big time. Finally, he doesn't have a place in his insensitive father's heart but Tembot still misses him. All this pain gives him a new beginning…
Written and directed by Tina Mastafova Cinematography by Ivan Turuhano Production design by Elena Oleynek Film editing by Alexander Artemenko, Tina Mastafova Music by Roman Zimarev, Vitaliy Laguta Sound design by Ivan Gusakov Costume design by Saniyat Atabieva Make-up by Kseniya Yahina Art direction by Alexander Sokurov Produced by Nikolai Yankin, Natalia Smagina Cast: Marat Taumurzaev, Marina Misostishkhova, Albert Babaev, Kantemir Shipshiev, Timur Begiev, Musa Zhanguzarov and others
Awards & festivals
A. Tarkovskii International Film Festival «Zerkalo», 2022
Open festival of cinema «Kinoshok», 2022
Voices Film Festival, 2022
Kazan International Muslim Film Festival, 2022
Moscow International Film Festival «Budem Zhit», 2022
«Fiddlestick»
2022, 8 episodes
Senya is a violinist from Pyatigorsk, he is obsessed with classical music that's why he wants to get in to the prestigious conservatory in Saint-Petersburg. As he enters the world of drugs, he realizes it can easily help him to make a name for himself and earn a lot of money, become independent and self-confident.
Writing credits: Alexander Talal, Eugene Israilit, Vladimir Naumov, Mark Zaevskii Directed by Alexander Tsoy Cinematography by Nikita Karmen Production design by Dmitrii Tselikov Produced by Eduard Eloyan, Vitalii Shlyapo, Denis Zhalinskii, Aleksey Trotsuk, Nikolay Yankin, Eugene Israilit, Ruslan Sorokin Costume design by Eugeneya Soboleva
«To Stumnle»
2019, 13 minutes
«To Stumnle» is based on the novel «The Death of a Clerk» by A. P. Chekhov. The director aiming to blur the lines and talk about present days, attempts to capture the irony in author's words in which comedy and tragedy are blended.
Written and directed by Alexander Zolotuhin Cinematography by
Iyrat Yamilov Production design by Julia Ulrikh, Igor Karev Film editing by Nikita Baranov Music by Sergey Slominskiy Sound design by Ivan Gusakov Costume design by Olga Smirnova Make-up by Kseniya Yahina Art direction by Aleksander Sokurov Produced by Nikolai Yankin, Natalia Smagina Cast: Vadim Skvirsky, Olga Onishchenko, Dmitry Grigoriev, Irina Demich, Vladimir Derbin and others
«A Russian Youth»
2018, 72 min
The First World War was a tragedy that launched a series of severe tests for the Russian people: the Revolution, the Civil War, famine, political repression, the Second World war. And all this fell on one generation of people. What courage and patience did those people must have had in order to survive all the upheavals of the XXth century? What was their personality like? What could they have been thinking and feeling? These questions are asked by the authors of the film "A Russian Youth". The film tells the story of a simple village boy who goes to the front of the First World war with a naive youthful dream of fame and medals. In the first battle he loses his sight. He is left to serve as a listener - he must listen carefully through huge metal funnels and raise the alarm in case of enemy airplanes' approach. Back then the basis of the Russian Empire army was formed of peasants and working class - people with a characteristic appearance, who lived lives of hard physical labor. Many non-professional actors in the film were looked for on the streets, in factories, among the cadets of military schools, in orphanages. The film features the music by Sergei Rachmaninoff, who created the Third piano Concerto in 1909 op.30. With the power and energy of this piece, the composer predicted the coming upheavals of the XXth century. One can hear Rachmaninoff's premonition about the fate of the people in the lyrical shrill melody. Three decades later, at the beginning of the Second World war, Rachmaninoff will create "Symphonic dances" op.45, an even more grand and vigorous work. After which he no longer wrote.
Filmed in collaboration with "Lenfilm Studio"
Director and Screenplay: Alexander Zolotukhin Director of Photography: Ayrat Yamilov Production Designer: Yelena Zhukova Film Producer: Eduard Pichugin Art director: Alexander Sokurov Film Editor: Tatiana Kuzmicheva Music: Sergei Rachmaninoff Sound Engineer: Andrey Fonin Costume designer: Olga Bakhareva Make-up artist: Ksenia Malkina
Awards & festivals
Berlin International Film Festival, 2019
Forum award
Seville European Film Festival, 2019
New Waves special prize
Fajr International Film Festival, 2019
"Best film", "Best debut", Critics Circle Award-2019
New Horizons International Film Festival, 2019
International programme participant
Beijing International Film Festival, 2019
Forward Future award
Sochi Open Russian Festival "Kinotavr", 2019
Daniil Dondurei Film Critic Guild award
A. Tarkovskii International Film Festival "Zerkalo", 2019
Audience Choice award
Baltic Debuts Film Festival, 2019
Best director
Sakhalin International Film Festival "On the Edge", 2019
Special Jury award
International Film Festival of Asian Pacific Countries in Vladivostok, 2019
Best feature film grand prix, Fipresci Jury award
"White Elephant" Film Critic Guild award, 2019
Best debut
Nika award, 2020
«Deep Rivers»
2018, drama, 75 minutes
The youngest son returns home to help his old father and two brothers to fulfill a lucrative logging order. Nothing has changed since he was gone: hard work to get a loaf of bread, confrontation with the inhabitants of the nearby village, inability of the family members to show their love and understanding to the closest people. And the river ready to overflow and sweep away the home any second.
Director and Screenplay: Vladimir Bitokov Production Designer: Maxim Maleev Director of Photography: Alexander Demyanenko Film Producer: Nikolay Yankin Sound Engineer: Andrey Fonin Film Editor: Anna Mass Composer: Murat Kabardokov Starring: Oleg Guseinov, Rustam Muratov, Muhamed Sabiev, Tahir Teppeev, Oleg Khamokov, Mariana Kazancheva
With the financial support of the Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation.
Awards & festivals
Sochi Open Russian Festival "Kinotavr", 2018
Best Debut Award
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, 2018
East of the West Competition
Baltic Debuts Film Festival, 2018
Best Director's Award
International Film Festival of Asian Pacific Countries in Vladivostok, 2018
"Cinema of Russia" Programme
Festival of Russian films "Sputnik nad Polska", 2018
3rd Jury prize
Russian film festival in Honfleur, 2018
Prize for the Best Debut
"TESNOTA" ("CLOSENESS")
2017, 118 minutes
1998. The Jewish Shor family lives in Nalchik in the North Caucasus. One evening, the younger son and his bride are kidnapped by local bandits. Now Adina and Avi have to sell their small business and to seek help from their tribesmen. But the amount of ransom is unbearably large and the collected money is not enough. What are the closest people willing to go through for the sake of saving a loved one?
Script writers: Kantemir Balagov, Anton Yarush Director of Photography:Artem Emelyanov Film Producer: Nikolay Yankin Production Designer: Alexey Paderin Composer: Andrey Nikitin Starring: Daria Zovner, Olga Dragunova, Artyom Tsypin, Veniamin Kats
Awards & festivals
"Nika", 2018
Nominations Best film, Best actress, Discovery of the year, Best screenplay, Best Director
Cannes film festival, 2017
Prize of the International Federation of film critics (FIPRESCI) nomination for the Main prize and Golden Camera
A. Tarkovskii International Film Festival "Zerkalo", 2017
Grand Prix
Sochi Open Russian Festival "Kinotavr", 2017
Иest debut, Daniil Dondurei Film Critic Guild award
Film festival "Pacific Meridian", 2017
Grand Prix "Best female role"
International Film Festival of Asian Pacific Countries in Vladivostok, 2017
Grand Prix "Best female role"
2nd Malaysia Golden Global Awards, 2018
Best supporting actor award, Best New Director, Best Actress, Best Film
Odessa international film festival, 2017
International film festival "Love and anarchy" (Helsinki), 2017
San Sebastian film festival
Munich film festival, 2017
Participation in "Russian film Week" in London, 2017
Film Award "East-West. Golden arch", 2018
"SOFICHKA"
2016, drama, 78 minutes
Based on the novel of the same name by Fazil Iskander – a drama about the fate of the inhabitants of the Abkhazian mountain village. After twenty years of Stalin's exile, Sofichka returns to her native Abkhazian village. All she has left are memories of a happy youth, mutual love, marriage and the death of her husband. Historical upheavals are just the background for the characters' lives. The non-linear presentation of the plot gradually develops into an epic picture of private life.
Director: Kira Kovalenko Director of Photography: Airat Yamilov Production Designer: Georgy Kolotygin Costume Design: Lidiia Kriukova Make-up artist: Daria Vasilkova Film Producer: Nikolay Yankin Starring: Lana Basaria, Tsiala Inapshba, Sergey Tomashevsky, Said Kamkia, Raul Kove
With the financial support of the Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation.
Awards & festivals
Spirit of Fire International Debut Film Festival
Special prize "For the preservation of cultural traditions", the prize of the General partner of the festival "Gazprom-oil"
Film festival in Dublin
Best feature film, Best Director, Best actress (Lana Basaria)
Asian Pacific Screen Awards
Participant
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
Participant
Gorkiy fest
Best director
« MAGIC KOMSOMOLETS»
2014, documentary, 60 minutes
Actor Dmitry Konsovsky was arrested on the night of 2 to 3 December 1934 during the filming of "The Strict Young Man" - three hours after a conversation with the director of the film. Four years later Konsovsky will die in a hospital of a concentration camp, without having lived to his own execution. In the 30 years of his life, he managed to work with Vsevolod Meyerhold, Abram Room and Vsevolod Pudovkin, to visit Nazi Germany and to hear the verdict of the Stalin three. After 70 years, access to the Konsovsky's criminal case was received by his brother's grandson, Nicholay.
With the support of the Ministry of culture of the Russian Federation With the participation of "Art pictures Studio" With the support of the "Alexander" Fund Public Fund of Vladimir Smirnov and Lenfilm Studios
Director: Anna Bulgakova Script authors: Anna Bulgakova, Nikolai Vershinin-Konsovsky Director of Photography: Ivan Barhvat Sound Engineer: Maria Ushenina Artist: Anna Kozlova Film Producer: Nikolay Yankin The text read by: Nikolay Vershinin-Konsovsky, Alexander Novikov, Pavel Gniloribov
Awards & festivals
A. Tarkovskii International Film Festival "Zerkalo", 2015
Competition program
«MY BROTHER BATMAN»
2014, short film, 25 minutes
Seryozha is seven years old. He believes in Batman. Not willing to discuss the tragedy that happened to his family, Seryozha's older brother, Misha, begins to play a superhero in real life. The brothers create their own world, incomprehensible to others. But can the game last forever?
Director: Tatiana Rakhmanova Screenplay: Irina Umanskaya, Tatiana Rakhmanova Director of Photography: Artem Emelyanov Costume designer: Diana Asadova Artist: Daria Uhvatova Sound Engineer: Pavel Gorsky Film Producer: Nikolay Yankin Starring: Daniil Bledny, Ivan Nikolaev, Alexander Marusev, Alena Starostina, Yakov Shamshin, Alisa Kolbenova, Ivan Vasiliev
Awards & festivals
Sochi Open Russian Festival "Kinotavr", 2015
Nomination "Short meter"
Moscow international film festival, 2015
«It Was Summer»
2014, short film, 36 minutes
Eleven-year-old romantic Sasha and his judicious older brother stay in the village with their grandmother during summer. A local girl Zhenya attracts both of them. One day, to get rid of the annoying kid and quietly walk with her, the older brother takes Sasha to the attic. Having freed himself, the offended boy runs after him.
Director and Screenplay: Shamil Yagafarov Director of Photography: Philip Martynov Costume Designer: Diana Asadova Artist: Daria Uchvatova Composer: Alexander Knaifel Sound Engineer: Pavel Gorsky Film Producer: Nikolay Yankin Starring: Gleb Mindigaleev, Daler Gazibekov, Nadezda Moshkina, Lilia Gurova, Viktor Tikhomirov, Yevgeny Tilicheev
Awards & festivals
Cannes film festival, 2015
Global Russians Programme
A. Tarkovskii International Film Festival "Zerkalo", 2015
Competition programme
« EASTER»
2014, short film, 30 minutes
Pskov province, 1921. Stepan is drawing his father's portrait. The whole house is already painted with charcoal. And why Proshka's mother loves him, a foster kid, anyway? After the war, there are no men in the village and she carries the entire village's economy on her shoulders. And Stepan is painting all the time, he can't even bring the wood to the house — he always stumbles and falls. Her own son does everything by himself, and it makes him more and more peeved because Stepan. But Stepan himself - is not of this world - is trying to raise the father from the grave.
Director: Igor Olshansky Script authors: Igor Olshansky, Dmitry Kuznetsov Director of Photography: Anastasia Cherkasova Artist: Sergey Zaikov Sound Engineer: Alexander Volkov Music By Glinka, Tchaikovsky Film Producer: Nikolay Yankin Starring: Maria Zhilchenko, Igor Ter-Poghosyan, Ivan Markov
Awards & festivals
Cannes film festival, 2014
The film market Marche Du Film, the Global Russians program and Short Film Corner
LET'S CEE Film Festival, 2014
Warcinema Festival named after Yury Ozerov, 2014
International film festival "Fest", 2014
International TV & cinema forum "Together", 2014
Pushchino International Short Film Festival "In the Top Ten", 2014
Saint Anna Open Festival of Student and Debut Film, 2015