29 June 2009 // 14:20

31st Moscow International Film Festival. Epilogue.

On Sunday, June 28, 2009 the 31st Moscow International Film Festival ended. The Closing Ceremony as usual was held in “Pushkinsky” cinema. 

40,000 viewers, 500 films including 16 ones in competition. The Moscow film festival celebrating its 50-years jubilee this year has summed up. The “Pushkinsky” cinema hosted almost the whole cinematographic and high-society beau-monde: Minister of Culture of Russian Federation Alexander Avdeev, Vladimir Naumov, Natalia Belokhvostikova, Renata Litvinova, Egor Konchalovsky, Vladimir Menshov, Vera Alentova, Evgeny Gerasimov, Irina Miroshnichenko, Larissa Udovichenko, Lyudmila Maksakova, Vera Glagoleva, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Olga Volkova, Artem Tkachenko and many more. On the stairs as usual they were greeted by the MIFF President Nikita Mikhalkov. 

The big jury defined the winners of the “Saint George” statuettes on Sunday. The jury consisted of: Pavel Lungin, film director (Russia) – chairman, Shyam Benegal, film director (India), Nick Powell, producer (UK), Sergey Trimbach, scenarist (Ukranie) and Gulnara Dusmatova, actress (Kazakhstan). The jury choice is as follows: 

Main Award – “Golden Saint George” to the best film – “Petya po doroge v tsarstvie nebesnoe” directed by N. Dostal (Russia)

Special jury award went to Alexander Proshkin for “Chudo”

Award to the best film direction went to Mariana Chenillo (“Five Days Without Nora”, Mexico)

Award to the best actor – Vladimir Ilyin (“Ward # 6”, directed by Karen Shakhnazarov, Russia)

Award to the best actress – Elena Kostyuk (“Melody for the Barrel Organ” directed by Kira Muratova, Ukraine)

After the results were announced the journalists were interested why most of the films-winners are Russian. “It is true that Russia represented the best films competition at the festival. Of course the western screenings expressed the global tendencies but obviously not in a very innovative and politically correct way… Meanwhile the Russian movies are very innovative and fresh… There is no conspiracy here. There is no other joy for a cinematographer than to see his colleagues not getting awards,” – explained Pavel Lungin, the 31st MIFF jury chairman. 

Nikolay Dostal, the film director of “Petya po doroge v tsarstvie nebesnoe”, the winner of the festival, said: “Of course the award is a surprise to me. I thought we could get an award but we could not even think of the Golden George. I believe the award will definitely help the film – it will be distributed in July. And of course the interest towards it will raise thanks to the award,” – said Nikolay Dostal after the awarding ceremony. 

“Perspectives” competition jury consisted of Robert Dornhelm (Austria) – chairman, awarded their prize for the best experimental young cinema to Michael Caton Jones, film director and producer (UK), Alyona Babenko, actress (Russia). The jury awarded their prize to the Georgian “Conflict Zone” directed by Vano Burduli.  

“Perspectives” competition award – “Conflict Zone” by Vano Burduli (Georgia). 

At the Closing Ceremony they awarded also 31st MIFF special prizes  

Award for the contribution into the international cinematography – to Rezo Chkheidze (Georgia)

“The cloud in the sky between Russia and Georgia will definitely disappear and the clear sky will stay,” – said the patriarch of the Georgian cinema after the awarding ceremony. 

Some awards were announced before the Closing Ceremony. On June 18 at the 31st MIFF Opening a special “I Believe” award by Stanislavsky was given to Oleg Yankovsky (posthumously). 

A special “I Believe” award by Stanislavsky for the actor mastery and faith to the school principles (posthumously) – to Oleg Yankovsky (Russia)  

On Sunday the international FIPRESCI jury defined their choice. The jury headed by Christina Stoyanova (Canada) consisted of Yael Shuv (Israel), Beat Glur (Switzerland), Kristina Davidjants (Estonia) and Dilyara Tasbulatova (Russia). They awarded their prize to the “Melody for the Barrel Organ” directed by Kira Muratova. 

FIPRESCI jury award – to “Melody for the Barrel Organ” directed by Kira Muratova (Ukraine) 

People Choice award - to "The Little Moscow" directed by Waldemar Krzystek (Poland)

Award by the jury of Russian film critics to the best film in Competition – to “As God Commands” (“Como Dio comanda”) directed by Gabriele Salvatores (Italy) 

Special mention and diploma by the Russian film critics – “The Missing Person” directed by Noah Buschel (USA) 

Award by the Russian film critics jury to the best film in “Perspectives” competition – to “Event” directed by Andrey Eshpay (Russia). 

Russian Cinema Clubs Federation and “Kommersant” publishing house also awarded their prizes.

Award by the Russian Cinema Clubs Federation to the best film in Competition – to “Melody for the Barrel Organ” directed by Kira Muratova (Ukraine) 

Award by the Russian Cinema Clubs Federation to the best film in Russian program – to “Mad Help” directed by Boris Hlebnikov


Award by the “Kommersant” publishing house – to the “First Squad: the Moment of Truth” (“Faasuto sukuwaddo”) directed by Yoshiharu Ashino (Japan, Russia, Canada) 

Japanese film expert Kadzuo Yamada received a diploma “For the faithfulness to MIFF during 48 years” 

After the official ceremony the guests and participants of the 31st MIFF watched the Closing Film – a new movie by Michael Mann “Jonny D.” (“Public Enemies”). In “Pushkinsky” cinema the film was personally presented by the