A shot from the movie "Russian Himalayas: Walking in the Clouds"
Two documentaries by the Russian Geographical Society have been included in the out-of-competition program of the 3rd International Film Festival «Evrazia Kinofest», which is taking place in Sochi these days. The films tell about research, preservation of natural and cultural heritage, as well as about people who are changing the world.
«Evrazia Kinofest» is a film forum that unites the countries of Eurasia through common creative activities. This year it opened for the third time. More than 700 filmmakers from 53 countries, including Russia, Argentina, Brazil, India, China, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Uzbekistan, and South Africa, are taking part in the festival. The competition program consisted of more than 100 new films.
A special screening of the RGS films will take place on June 19 from 14:00 to 16:00, in the cinema hall of the «Zhemchuzhina» hotel complex. The film «Russian Himalayas: Walking in the Clouds» (directed by Vladimir Shuvannikov) is dedicated to Russian travelers, researchers, artists, and scientists who have been exploring one of the most mysterious high-altitude regions of the world for more than two centuries. The filming took place as part of a large-scale international project of the RGS «Russian Heritage of the Himalayas: Journey Continues» in India, Nepal, China, Bhutan, Pakistan, as well as in Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Krasnodar Territory.
The documentary «My Personal Plan for the Transformation of the Planet» (directed by Larisa Mikhailova) tells the stories of the winners of the international geographical Crystal Compass Award — of people whose projects are aimed at preserving cultural and natural heritage, the development of science, education, and charity. Among the heroes of the film are Arkady Elfimov, the creator of the first botanical garden in Western Siberia «Ermakovo Pole»; Boris Yunanov, a patron of the arts and keeper of the Assyrian cultural heritage; participants in the «Obshee Delo» volunteer project to restore wooden temples in the Russian North; and Jean-Louis Gouraud, a French traveler, writer, and public figure who devoted his life to popularizing human and horse interaction.
The film "My Personal Plan for the Transformation of the Planet" tells the stories of the Crystal Compass Award winners
Both films were created by the Russian Geographical Society and the organizing committee of the Crystal Compass National Award with the support of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.
«We are pleased to present our documentaries to an international audience,» said Ivan Chaika, the author of the idea and general producer of the films, Chairman of the Krasnodar Branch of the RGS. «The example of the heroes of these films shows that a lot becomes possible if you look far beyond the horizon, believe in your dream, and love your work. And of course, this is another reason to think about everyone’s personal responsibility for the future of the planet.»