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The ‘Soul of Russia. The North’ pavilion hosted the session ‘The Creative Potential of Siberia and Russia’s Far East: Filmmaking Opportunities’ at the 7^th Creative Business Forum, which the Roscongress Foundation’s Social Platform held during the 8^th Eastern Economic Forum. The Spirit of Fire Academy is a strategic partner of the Creative Business Forum. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

The session participants discussed film startups that have been initiated by entrepreneurs from Siberia and the Far East. The discussion focused on finding production solutions to help regional film companies make new films. The session included a pitch for film projects that are to be shot in the regions of Siberia and the Far East, a presentation of scientific film laboratories, and a discussion of the conditions for film production in Yugra, Primorye, and Yakutia. Particular attention was paid to the production of children’s films as a cornerstone for the long-term development of the film and media industry. Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District-Yugra Deputy Governor Yelena Shumakova spoke about some of the Spirit of Fire Academy’s planned business and educational events.

The session, which was moderated by Regional Cinema Support Fund Deputy Executive Director Dmitry Yakunin, was attended by KD Studios General Producer and Co-Founder Yevgeny Melentyev, Vladivostok Film Studio General Director Dmitry Shevtsov, Creative Producer for Startup Pitching of the Regional Cinema Support Fund and Prospekt Studio Director Pavel Peregudov, Homeproduction General Producer Yulia Lipatova, and Irina Belykh, who is the programme director of the FANK Festival of Contemporary Scientific Films, a producer at the FANK Scientific Film Laboratory Producer, and the supervisor of the ‘Science as Art’ initiative as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.

“Over 20 years, the Spirit of Fire Festival has established a large audience and raised a generation of young people who are ready to realize themselves in their debut auteur films. This year, our introduction to the experience of the film industry in India, which served as the festival’s first guest country, grew into a joint production, which we implemented just a few months after the film festival, and in November the world premiere of the first co-production film will take place. Next year, we plan for the UAE to be the guest country. We complement each other wonderfully in terms of our locations and natural and technological capabilities,” Shumakova said.

“This year, the company is working on major Russian films aimed at teenage and family audiences, including a special project called Rachmaninov. It includes a documentary, a website, and a big movie. A logical question arises: why Khanty-Mansiysk and Rachmaninov? Rachmaninov had no connection to Khanty-Mansiysk or Yugra, but the conditions that the region has created for film production, and the support we receive from the Yugra governor and government, enable us to shoot almost any kind of film. The main message of this project is that Russia’s strength lies in the unity and diversity of its peoples and culture,” Melentyev said.

“An amazing phenomenon is occurring right before our eyes, as the film industry merges with information technologies. Virtual production technology is a cheap, economical, yet very effective solution that can be used, including in the regions, without generating big budgets. The ‘Sounds. Music’ platform and other projects that are part of Regional Cinema Support Fund’s investment portfolio include projects that help us develop innovations in the film industry,” Peregudov said.

The Creative Business Forum’s programme focuses heavily on the development of regional film production. In an effort to support young talent, the Innosocium Foundation, the social platform of the Roscongress Foundation, organized events of the Spirit of Fire Academy’s educational programme at the ‘Soul of Russia. The North’ pavilion, which included lectures that were attended by prominent filmmakers on the subjects: ‘New Cinema of Siberia and the Far East’, ‘Ethnic Cinema: Secrets of Success’, and ‘Laboratory of Cinematic Suspense: How to Keep the Viewer’s Attention’.

The programme partner is VKontakte, the event’s main social media and streaming service.

The 8^th Eastern Economic Forum took place on 10–13 September on the campus of Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok.

For all the latest news about EEF 2023, please visit the Forum’s official social media pages.

Telegram: https://t.me/roscongress

VKontakte: Eastern Economic Forum (vk.com)

Official EEF website: https://forumvostok.ru/

13.09.2023