Milyausha Aytuganova: 8 international film festivals to partner Kazan Muslim Film Festival in 2019
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Milyausha Aytuganova: 8 international film festivals to partner Kazan Muslim Film Festival in 2019

2 April 2019

Milyausha Aytuganova, the executive director of the festival, and Ruslan Shigabetdinov, adviser to the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan, have announced that 8 cooperation agreements with the international film festivals in the UK, Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Tajikistan will be signed in 2019 during the press-conference on the 15th edition of the Kazan Muslim Festival.

Milyausha Aituganova also highlighted that the 2019 edition of the festival that will be held in Kazan from 24 to 30 April will coincide with KazanSummit. The 2019 short-list includes 55 films: 10 for each of full length feature, short feature, full length documentary and short documentary nominations as well as 15 films for special National Competition nomination. The 2019 jury board will be chaired by Serik Aprimov, a Kazakh director, screenwriter, actor and producer, an academician of Nika Russian Academy of Cinematographic Arts. Moreover, one of the shortlisted films will receive a special award from the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group.

Among the honourable Russian guests of the festival, it is necessary to mention Karen Shakhnazarov, Vadim Abdrashitov, Alexander Proshkin, Nikolay Dostal, Larisa Udovichenko, Svetlana Nemolyaeva and Oleg Taktarov. However, the organising committee of the festival is more focused on the quality and impact of the event rather than on star quests: ‘By the 15th edition of the festival, we have developed a clear strategy ad positioning. The first years of the festival was focused on inviting famous figures of international and Russian film industry for promotion purposes. Now, we have switched to quality festival implementation with clear impact, which will include experience exchange and co-production support contributing to the development of the film market in Tatarstan’, commented Ruslan Shigabetdinov.

The business venue of the 2019 Kazan Film Festival will be located at the Kazan Expo Centre on 25 April. The business programme of the festival will include the second Forum of the Directors of International Film Festivals as well as a round table on Cinema and Education and International Film Pitching session.

The opening ceremony of the festival will be held on April, 24 on the grounds of the Kamal Tatar State Academic Theatre. The opening ceremony of the festival will be attended by the participants of KazanSummit-2019.

The closing ceremony of the festival will be held on April, 30 at the Hermitage Concert Hall (Riviera Entertainment Complex).

The competition and out-of-competition programmes will be screened at Almaz Cinema Port (Riviera Entertainment Complex), whereas National Cinema Days special programme will be screened at Mir Cinema. The festival will be accompanied by a photo exhibition on the history of the Kazan Muslim Film Festival and Tatarstan Film Industry held in Manezh at the Kazan Kremlin World Heritage site.

The 15th edition of the Kazan Muslim Film Festival will be held with the support of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov and in partnership with the Russia - Islamic World Strategic Vision Group.