Copernicus Films: Russian Theatre Film Project

THE RUSSIAN AVANT-GARDE – REVOLUTION OR RENAISANCE: SERIES OF SIX FILMS

New Arts Documentary Film "Stanislavsky and the Russian Theatre" from Copernicus Films

Finally, after much tweaking and adjusting, the documentary film “Stanislavsky and the Russian Theatre” has been released on DVD after a successful launch and premiere at the Barn Theatre of the Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance.

The film, about the life and work of the Russian theatre director Stanislavsky was completed with the cooperation of the Stanislavski Centre in the UK.

Making use of the extensive archive of The Stanislavski Centre the film explores the main precepts of Stanislavsky's theories. The film features interviews with Jean Benedetti and Anatoly Smeliansky of The Moscow Art Theatre (MXAT), two of the foremost authorities working in the field of Stanislavsky studies.

“Stanislavsky and the Russian Theatre” attempts to highlight Stanislavsky’s humanism, arising from his background and how his views were formed by the social context into which he was born, and his subsequent difficulties in developing his system during a time when the avant-garde tendencies of theatre and the avant-garde itself appeared to devalue the human in culture.

After a decade working in the film and television industry in the UK, Michael Craig travelled to Moscow in 1995 to make films and write where he has lived and worked ever since. He made the first documentary film in the series "Alexander Rodchenko and the Russian Avant-garde" in 1999 which premiered at the Milan International Film Festival (MIFF) and was shown on British Television. From here he embarked on series of films about the Russian Avant-garde of the 1920s and 30s:

The "Stanislavsky and the Russian Theatre" can be found on Amazon on DVD or check www.copernicusfilms.com for more detailed information about the film and distribution: or e-mail: copernicusfilms@yahoo.co.uk.

http://www.copernicusfilms.com/

5th Russian Film Festival, 4–13 November

On Friday 4th November, the 5th Russian Film Festival opened with the UK premiere of Generation P, the adaptation of Victor Pelevin's cult novel. The film was presented by director Victor Ginzburg and leading actors. The film portrays the complex and often  absurd story of how today's Russia came into being – and was shown on Russian National Unity Day. 


GENERATION P
While the Soviet Union was falling apart at the seams, living out its final days, Western brands began rapidly flooding the post-Soviet market. With his nose to the ground, main character Babilen Tatarsky sets up his own advertising agency with a mission to popularise new products, helped by fun, catchy slogans adapted for the “Soviet mentality”. And so begins a new era. An era of destroying outdated ideals. The youth brought up on these advertising captions will later become known as “generation Pepsi”.

The main programme of the 5th Russian Film Festival will include the 10 best Russian feature films of the year, made by a new generation of Russian film directors. All films have received recognition at prestigious international and national festivals and have been specially selected for the Russian Film Festival by the programme director, Andrei Plakhov, President of FIPRESCI. Further, the Russian Film Festival in London is the only event where all these acclaimed films will be shown in one single place and presented by their world famous directors and actors, who will join us for Q&As and discussions.


Vitaly Mansky, Russia's master of documentary film, has put together a striking selection of contemporary Russian documentaries by women and about women. In addition we will be holding a special screening of short films including under the radar works by some of Russia's best RUSSIAN FILM FESTIVAL. There will also be the ever popular comprehensive and diverse programme of animation, ready to enchant adults and children alike with its charm and imagination.


The Russian Film Festival is an important annual event for Russians living in London and a unique window onto today's Russia for a British audience.


First Russian-British Co-Production and Distribution Forum
As part of the Russian Film Festival, Academia Rossica, in partnership with the BFI and the Russian Cinema Fund, is organising the first Russian-British Co-Production and Distribution Forum on 11 November at the British Film Institute. The forum aims to introduce leading film professionals of both counties to each other and explore opportunities of collaboration and partnership. Participants include top Russian producers Sergei Selyanov, Artem Vasiliev, Natalia Ivanova, Raisa Fomina and Igor Tolstunov.


The Russian Film Festival is organised by ACADEMIA ROSSICA who have been showcasing Russian culture for over 10 years.

http://russianfilmfestival.co.uk/