The Week of Contemporary Russian Cinema, organized jointly by the RCSC and Film Trust India was opened by Prof. Vijaya Muley, renowned film scholar, documentary filmmaker and educator.
“Poor, Poor Pavel”, directed by V. Melnikov, was screened as the inaugural film. This will be followed by “The Island” directed by P. Lungin, “Brother” directed by A. Balabanov, and “The Best of Times” directed by S. Proskurina, in the following days.
Welcoming the elite gathering, Mrs. Maria B. Pavlova, Deputy Director, RCSC, said that credited with a long history of cooperation in cinematography the popularity of Indian cinema in Russia and that of Russian cinema in India remains a distinct feature in the film world. She added that participation in international film festivals in each other's countries, exchange of film delegations and joint productions are the highlights of the decades-long Russian-Indian cooperation in this sphere. The current Cinema Week is yet another milestone in the history of Russian-Indian relations, Mrs. Maria Pavlova said.
Opening the Week of Contemporary Russian Cinema, Prof. Vijaya Muley emphasized the continued influence that the Russian cinema had on the Indian people. She described “Battleship Potemkin” as the all-time classic in cinematography holding a salutary effect on Indian audiences. While Sergey Eisenstein is held in high esteem in India, Raj Kapoor is a house-hold name in Russia, Prof. Vijaya Mule said. She lauded the high spirit of the Russian audience in admiring Indian film celebrities as well as the artistic and thematic values of Indian cinema.
Appreciating the efforts made by RCSC in renewing the bilateral ties through film festivals and cinema weeks, Prof. Vijaya Muley called for the screening of more and more Russian films to the greater interest of Indian people. Highlighting the vital role of audio-visual media in the developing world, Mr. Anwar Jamal, President, Film Trust India, made an emphatic note on the need of popularizing and promoting more and more Russian films in India and Indian films in Russia for better understanding of life and culture of each other countries, and advancement in cinematographic technology among the people of both countries. Mr. Anwar Jamal, describing the activities of Film Trust India, such as holding film festivals in SARC countries, workshops, seminar, etc., said that the organization has been doing its best to educate the youth on the multifarious aspects of cinema. Mr. U. Radhakrishnan, Coordinator, Film Trust India, proposed a vote of thanks.
