Farkhat Sharipov’s “18 kilohertz” wins Grand Prix at XVII Kazan International Muslim Film Festival

Group photo: The Deputy President, Minister of culture, Festival director and jury along with the honoured Russian stars

KAZAN: The Grand Prix of the XVII Kazan International Muslim Film Festival was awarded to “18 kilohertz” (Kazakhstan), the film directed by Farhat Sharipov.

The announcement was made at the closing ceremony of the film forum in the capital city of Tatarstan.

The hosts of the celebration were the actress, honoured artist of the Russian Federation, singer Olga Kabo and honoured artist of the Republic of Tatarstan Fanis Ziganshin.

At the beginning of the celebration, the audience was shown the diary of the film festival, which included the brightest moments of KIFMK-2021.

Minister of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan Irada Ayupova and First Deputy Mufti of the Republic of Tatarstan Ilfar Khazrat Khasanov

Those present in the hall were greeted by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, Chairman of the National Council “Milli Shura” of the World Congress of Tatars, Chairman of the organizing committee of the festival Vasil Shaikhraziev.

“Every year at the film festival is a blank board, on which we write a plan of how to make the film festival even more interesting, whom to invite, how to surprise the audience,” he said.

“Last year, due to the pandemic, we held a film forum online, but this year, by the will of the Almighty, the filmmakers were able to come to us. During the days of the film festival, we were able to rally, show the films to a large number of viewers, and discuss with them after the screenings. It’s nice that Tatarstan cinema is growing along with the film festival. Not having time to close the current film forum, we have already started writing a plan for the next one.”

Filmmakers who won in a number of nominations were able to present the prize only this year.

Valeria Baykeeva reveals the best actor prize

The Prize of the President of Tatarstan “For Humanism in Cinema” of the XVI Kazan Film Festival was awarded to director Evdokia Moskvina for the film “Forbidden Children” (Russia).

The recipient of this prize and a cash certificate of 500 thousand rubles this year was the film “Isenmesez” (“Are you alive?”) By Ildar Yagafarov (Russia, Tatarstan).

At the ceremony, the winners in the “National Competition” nomination of the Kazan Film Forum-2020 were awarded.

Best film prize announced by chairman of the jury of Kazan International Muslim Film Festival-2021 Elchin Musaoglu

The prize for the best national film for children went to Revision Tales. “Archiving” directed by Sergei Kiatrov.

The best national documentary film was recognized as the film “Dance in the Corner” by Soltan Sungatullin.

The best short film was “Walked, walked and saw” directed by Elina Kasimova, and the award for the best national film went to director Ilshat Rakhimbay.

Milyausha Aituganova, festival director

Elena Alekseeva, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Cinema and Television Direction of the Kazan State Institute of Culture, received a certificate of recognition “For Contribution to the Development of Cinematography of the Republic of Tatarstan”.

The prize of the Mayor of Kazan to the Tatarstan director Bulat Minkin for the film “Beruze” (“One”) that was presented by the deputy head of the Kazan executive committee Guzel Sagitova.

This year, it was decided to award three films with the Audience Award. Two diplomas were presented by the executive director of the Kazan Film Festival Milyausha Aituganova. The recipients were the director of the film “Kakheksiya” Alina Galimullina and the director of the film “Kel kuze” (“Clairvoyant”) Ilfat Kamaliev.

Chairman of the organizing committee of the festival Vasil Shaikhraziev and Ildar Yagafarov

The main audience award went to the film “Isenmesez” by Ildar Yagafarov, who became the record holder of the evening in terms of the number of appearances on the stage. The Tatarstan director received the award from the hands of the Azerbaijani theater and film actor, director Vidadi Hasanov.

Next came the film critic, film critic Olga Galitskaya and film critic Daria Mitina, who announced the holder of the diploma of the Guild of Cinema Experts and Film Critics of Russia.

When choosing, the experts gave preference to the films of young directors. So, this prize was awarded to the film “Juha of Tatarstan director Tanya Chernoguzova (Russia, Tatarstan).

The Prize of the Guild of Historians of Cinema and Film Critics of Russia – White Elephant was awarded to the film “Father of Omar” directed by Roy Crispel. A special mention of the jury was awarded to the picture “Bastard” by Daniel Guliyev (Azerbaijan).

At the ceremony, those present also honored the memory of Vladimir Menshov and Bolotbek Shamshiev.

On the screens of the hall, frames from films with Vladimir Menshov were broadcast, accompanied by the performance of the host of the ceremony Olga Kabo. Another guest of the film festival, producer of feature and documentary films Chinargul Kamchibekova, spoke with a story about the work of Bolotbek Shamshiev.

Ashraf Aboul-Yazid and Almaz Nurgaliev

For the Dialogue of Cultures in the Islamic World, the award was given to the film from the out-of-competition program “Russia – Islamic World” “2000 Songs of Farida” by Elkin Tuychiev (Uzbekistan).

Minister of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan Irada Ayupova and First Deputy Mufti of the Republic of Tatarstan Ilfar Khazrat Khasanov announced the winners of KIFMK-2021 in the nomination “National Competition”.

Irada Ayupova thanked the guests for their visit to Tatarstan. “The main mission of culture is to preserve the spiritual core of the people, the nation. I sincerely want to wish this festival to have a long history, because it is one of the few that is not afraid to raise the spiritual and moral problems of society,” she stressed.

Almohannad Kalthoum, Syria, jury member gives the prize of Best Feature Film Director

The best screenwriter for a feature film is the screenwriter for Sami, Habib Bavi Sajed (Iran), and the winner of the award in the nomination “Best Cinematography of a Full-Length Fiction Film” was the operator of the film “18 kilohertz” Alexander Plotnikov (Kazakhstan).

The winner of the traditional nomination “Best Actor in a Feature Film” was announced by Valeria Baykeeva.

Looking inside the envelope, the jury member did not hide her feelings of joy. The jury considered the Turkish actor Samet Yildiz from the film “Brother’s Keeper” as the best in this category.

Ismet Erikan, Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in Kazan, took to the stage to receive the award. He noted that the leading actor in the film is now at school. “The word ‘Yildiz’ means “star” and “Samet”is translated as “Endless”. I wish this actor glows endlessly like this celestial body,” he said.

A special guest of the Kazan Film Festival, the famous Turkish actor Ali Burak Ceylan, awarded the winner in the nomination “Best Actress in a Feature Film”. She was the actress from the film “Fear”, Svetlana Yancheva (Bulgaria).

Ashraf Aboul-Yazid giving a TV  interview for the Creative Society project , Tatarstan

The best short documentary film of the Kazan Film Festival was named “Parizad” directed by Mehdi Imani Shahmari (Iran). The winner was awarded by the jury member Kamal Swarup (India).

Another member of the jury, Ashraf Aboul-Yazid (Egypt), President of Asia Journalist Association, presented the award to the winner of the Best Full-Length Documentary Film category. It was the film “Between the Seven Islands” by Almaz Nurgaliev.

In his short speech, Ashraf said: “I came to you from Egypt, the land of the three pyramids, to celebrate today here, in the heart of the Fourth Pyramid, (referring to the Pyramida, where the closing ceremony of Kazan International Muslim Film Festival was held), and instead of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, we celebrate  the kings and queens of cinema.”

“If the pyramids tell us about history, then cinema tells us about the future; we are here in the Sabantui (Tatar harvest feast) of cinema, where the harvest of art, the inheritance of culture, and the reunion with the art family…”

Ashraf had joined Kazan International Muslim Film Festival as a member of the jury – for the first time – after being invited to it in previous sessions, since its inception 16 years ago, as a guest of honor.

The best short feature film of the XVII Kazan International Muslim Film Festival was the film “Two Options” directed by Gon Carid (France, Spain).

Next, a member of the film forum jury from Syria, Almohannad Kalthoum was invited to the stage. “I am very happy to be on the jury of this film festival, where we speak the same language – the language of cinema. Every time during the days of the film forum Kazan lights up and starts to glow in a new way.”

He then revealed the name of the winner of the Best Feature Film Director. The award was given to the film “Brother’s Keeper” by Turkish director Ferit Karahan.

Finally, the chairman of the jury of the Kazan Film Festival-2021 Elchin Musaoglu named the winner of the main prize of the film forum – the Grand Prix “Best full-length feature film.”

This year the winner of the film forum was the film by Kazakh director Farhat Sharipov “18 kilohertz” (Kazakhstan). The prize was entrusted to the First Secretary of the Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Kazan, Ilyas Tursunbaev.

The ceremony of the XVII Kazan International Muslim Film Festival ended with fireworks and the song “For You – My Tatarstan”.

The winning film “18 kilohertz” is based on the book “Hardcore” by Kazakh writer Zara Yesenaman.

18 kHz is an audio frequency inaudible to adults during 90s There is a heroin boom in Almaty. Drugs are widely available, including for adolescents. Best friends Sanzhar and Zhaga spend a lot of time together, dreaming of freedom and discovering all forbidden places with the “No entry” sign. Not all is well in Sanzhar’s house. They are not so close to their mother. She lost her precious ring and suspects Sanzhara. She stops talking to him, and their already weak connection is broken. Drug dealers are always on the lookout for single teenagers.