The Russian Documentary Week in Washington, DC (November 23-30, 2011)

Very soon on November 23, 2011 the Russian Documentary Week will begin in Washington DC. It will be the second time when the US capital welcomes the documentary film festival organized by the House of Russia Abroad named after Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Russian Way Film Studio. Cosponsor of this forum is a new company Vifsaida. This project has been made possible due to financial support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the organizational support of Rossotrudnichestvo (Russian Collaboration Organization).

This forum is the only cinema event held in the USA capital and promoted at the level of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Soon all guests of the Russian Documentary Week will see Russian documentary films and meet with leading filmmakers of this film genre who are coming to the United States to present their works.

The Russian Documentary Week will start on November 23 and continues through November 30, 2011. A group of Russian film celebrities will land in Washington DC. Among them: winner of Russian film awards Nika and Golden Eagle Igor Mayboroda; winner of Golden Eagle Award, member of Non-fiction  Film Union of Russia Sergey Zaitsev, Mikhail Lomonosov Prize winner Boris Sheynin, winners of international festivals film directors Natalia Gugueva, Vadim Tsalikov, Vladimir Levin, Alexander Kuprin and Valeria Kurbatova, producers Maria Sementsova, Alexander Gundorov, Maria  Chistiakova, screenwriter Viktor Leonidov.

The program presented by the festival committee is very rich and diverse. As general director of the Russian Documentary Week, member of Filmmakers Union of Russia Philip Kudryashov mentioned: ‘American audience will see documentaries that demonstrate different aspects of Russian society. The main goal of the forum is to show great works of modern Russian film directors. We want to show a different Russia, surprise with something new because each story told from the screen makes a point for discussion or a subject of pride. Films of Armenian and Georgian artists dedicated to the history of cinematography in these countries can be a good example of such pride. Members of Armenian and Georgian diasporas in the United States shall invite their friends and relatives for these screening and be proud of their nations. American followers of hippie movement will see their counterparts and confederates from Russia in the film Alyona and the Mirror directed by Alexander Kuprin. Slavic scholars will have an opportunity to immerse in the history of old Russian villages, the story of which is told in the Bryansky Story film directed by Sergey Zaitsev. Life stories of such well known writers in America as Georgy Grebenschikov and Sergey Dovlatov are presented in Push the Wagon to the Stars directed by Alexander Gurianov and A March of the Solitary Man directed by Valery Kurbatov. Guests of the festival will learn more about life of those outstanding writers. For those who appreciate independent films we have a special present. It is a screening of Igor Mayboroda's film Rerberg and Tarkovsky. The Flip Side of the Stalker.

The festival will be opened with Vadim Tsalikov's picture Oflonce Romance that tells a story about an unusual Ossetian family. It immigrated to France from Russia. The audience will also see a film about outstanding Russian fleet admirals of the twentieth century who sailed Russian fleet through wars and revolutions.

The Russian Documentary Week will finish with a roundtable discussion in the Russian Center of Culture and Science which will be dedicated to different aspects of Russian and American documentary films.

Continuing the old Russian tradition we will keep all doors open for our guests. All screenings will be free admission. Organizers of the event are not aiming to gain any financial benefit. The main purpose of this festival is to open the Russian heart to American audience.

The program of the festival and the address of a cozy movie theatre Letelier Theater in the Georgetown area where the films will be presented, can be looked up at the official web site of the Russian Documentary Week in Washington DC www.cinema-rp.com.

ORGANIZERS OF THE FESTIVAL WHOLEHEARTEDLY WELCOME ALL GUESTS!

The House of Russia Abroad named after Alexander Solzhenitsyn and the Film Studio "Russian Way" with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation are the organizers of the special event – the Second Festival of Russian Documentary Films, that will be held in the capital of the United States this fall. The event is called “The Cinema Week in Washington, D.C.”

The aim of the festival is to promote the Russian documentary films in the United States and serve to the strengthening of the US - Russian relations. During one week of the festival, from November 23rd to November 30th there will be screened 12 Russian documentary films.

“The Cinema Week in Washington, D.C.” is the only official cinema event that will take place in the capital of the United States, which is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation this year.

 The festival is non-commercial and there will be no charges for the tickets.