Concert dedicated to Altai — the small homeland of Vasily Shukshin — took place at the RUSSIA EXPO

On June 21, as part of the presentation of the All-Russian Festival "Shukshin Days in Altai", a concert titled "I Will Feel the Soul of Altai" was held at the RUSSIA EXPO. The State Youth Song and Dance Ensemble "Altai" named after Alexander Berezikov introduced the guests to the history and cultural traditions of the Altai region — the small homeland of Vasily Shukshin.

The All-Russian Festival "Shukshin Days in Altai" is organized in memory of the great Russian writer, film director, screenwriter and actor Vasily Shukshin. This major cultural event in the Altai region has been held since 1976 in the village of Srostki, where the writer was born, as well as in Biysk, Barnaul and other cities in the region. The program includes literary, cinematographic, theatrical and other cultural events.

The residents of the Altai region are proud of their renowned compatriot for a reason, as he dedicated his first stories to them. The collection "Village Residents" marked the beginning of one of the central themes of his work — love for the village, which became for him not only a geographical but also a social, national and moral concept, embodying a complex array of human relationships.

On the Main Street Stage, the "Altai" ensemble performed popular songs, works by Altai songwriters, and, of course, songs from Vasily Shukshin's films. The program also featured original choreographic compositions on folk themes in modern arrangements. The performance was accompanied by a narration about the cultural and historical features of the region.

During the presentation of the festival at the Exposition, an artistic and journalistic program titled "From the Height of Shukshin's Picket" was also organized. The audience learned about the origins and development of the festival and saw breathtaking video footage from Picket Mountain, which Vasily Shukshin, according to locals, loved to climb.

Throughout the day, guests could participate in thematic lectures, film screenings and the presentation of the film festival "Morality is Truth!" — an important part of the program of the All-Russian Festival "Shukshin Days in Altai".