The program of the XV International Festival of Film and TV Programs "From the Bottom of the Heart" was presented at the Exposition

On April 30 at the RUSSIA EXPO, there was a presentation of the program of the V.M. Leontieva XV International Festival of Film and TV Programs for Family Viewing "From the Bottom of the Heart", which will be held in the Ulyanovsk region from May 28 to June 1 with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

The program of the festival was presented at the Exposition by the Minister of Art and Cultural Policy of the Ulyanovsk region Evgenia Sidorova. Vladimir Potapov, director, actor and scriptwriter, Vladimir Demidov, Merited Artist of Russia, theater and cinema actor, and Veronika Ustimova, theater actress, also took part in the discussion of the festival. The guest of the presentation was the winner of the festival, Merited Artist of the Russian Federation Andrei Ankudinov.

"There has always been a special attitude to cinema in the cultural life of the Ulyanovsk region. Going to the cinema is one of the main and favorite leisure pastimes for the residents of our region. The regional film cluster has been operating in the Ulyanovsk region for several years already. It includes all types of cinematography that are developing in the region - major festival, film education, social and infrastructural projects. The festival "From the Bottom of the Heart" is a business card of the cultural life of the region," said the Minister of Art and Cultural Policy of the Ulyanovsk region Evgenia Sidorova.

Photo: Sergey Baranov/ Press Office of the RUSSIA EXPO

She also noted that the festival has been held since 2008 and is named after the legendary TV presenter, People's Artist of the USSR Valentina Leontieva, who spent the last years of her life in the Ulyanovsk region. The film festival annually organizes events aimed at preserving the professional heritage of the TV presenter.

"'Honor and Dignity' prize of the Governor of the Ulyanovsk region is awarded at the film festival. A personal star is opened for a winner - a sign of recognition of the talent of the filmmaker by the residents of the region. 13 name stars have already been opened, which make up the Star Alley on the central street of the city. The awards are made of symbircite - a unique ornamental stone found in the Ulyanovsk region," emphasized Evgenia Sidorova.

The idea of the festival is to strengthen traditional Russian spiritual and moral values, which are based on family and traditions, added the Minister of Art and Cultural Policy of the Ulyanovsk region. In 2024, announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin as the Year of the Family, the festival will become a center of family communication, and more than 150 film events will be held at 50 venues of the festival.

Photo: Sergey Baranov/ Press Office of the RUSSIA EXPO

"We support the theme of traditional family values through the participation of cinematic dynasties in the festival. In different years Svetlana Druzhinina and Anatoly Mukasey, Alexander and Ekaterina Strizhenov, Tatiana and Ekaterina Dogileva, Anton and Victoria Makarskiy, Yegor Konchalovsky and Maria Mikhalkova, Veniamin and Alika Smekhov and many others have participated in the festival. This year the festival is attended by a married couple Anton and Elena Khabarov. They will be the hosts of the opening ceremony," said Evgeniya Sidorova.

The competition program of the festival accepts feature and documentary full-length films for children, youth and family viewing. This year about 300 applications were submitted, the expert commission selected about 55 films, said Evgenia Sidorova. The jury will determine the winners in seven categories.