"Heroes of the Great Country" film awards ceremony to take place at the National Centre RUSSIA
The Russian film awards ceremony "Heroes of the Great Country" will take place at the National Centre RUSSIA in February 2026. Applications for the third film awards — a major event in cinema — opened on July 25. Authors and rights holders can submit projects until September 25, 2025 on the website героибольшойстраны.рф.
The film awards aim to revive the culture and competencies for producing projects with profound spiritual and moral content that promote traditional values and create the image of a hero who serves family and society, protects and changes our country for the better.
The relevance of holding the awards is determined by the fact that cinema, as the most effective content format, directly influences the images and choices of young people — the future of the country. According to research by the COUNTRY Foundation / NII VPK (Defence Industry Research Institute), in all regions of the country up to 85% of teenagers and young people name foreign films and series as their "favourites," predominantly those produced in the USA, whilst 15% indicate Russian projects, but often those that are close in values to Western film products, in which "material values stand above spiritual ones, and individualism is better than collectivism."
The competition includes feature, documentary and animated films and series published no earlier than October 1, 2023. Projects may participate in the awards if they do not distort history and do not create negative images of our country and its figures. From the projects submitted to the competition, 35 films and series will be selected for the shortlist based on the "content" criterion.
Projects that will be judged by the jury are those that promote traditional values, foster a responsible life stance, create images of heroes who can serve as role models, consolidate society, promote a positive image of Russia, respond to current challenges, and inspire realisation in spheres that are in demand today and in the future.
The thematic nominations of the third awards are: Hero-defenders, Heroes of the Special Military Operation, Heroes of science and technology, Person of labour, Heroes of the family, Heroes of education, Heroes — builders of the future. In industry nominations: awards for direction, screenplay, for feature film, series and short film, for best animated and documentary project. In special categories: Service and honour, History and meanings, Dreams of the future, for best children's film and youth jury prize.
All shortlisted projects will go through screenings with youth audiences, and their content and influence on viewers will be assessed through scientific-integrative research. The jury, based on research results and taking into account the value-semantic message, relevance of visual-dramaturgical form and artistic value of projects, will select the winners. Awards will be presented at a ceremonial event.
"These should not simply be film projects about heroes carrying a constructive value message, contributing to youth development, responding to challenges and priorities of the country's development. This should be dramaturgically refined, visually contemporary, talented cinema for a broad audience," emphasised the awards' executive producer Mikhail Churbanov.
On the eve of the awards ceremony, a two-day awards forum will open at the National Centre RUSSIA. Sessions of the semantic centre on 17 values, on universes and heroes of the future will take place, results of research on youth heroes and cinema influence will be presented, reports on hero images and scientific assessment of content will be delivered, there will be a session on the hero of public service, on the image of the person of labour in cinema, a foresight session on viewer psychology, scenarios for film projects of 2030, and a plenary session on family content and traditional values in cinema.
Representatives of the film industry and digital platforms, government, industry, experts, educators, scientists, entrepreneurs, public figures, journalists, bloggers, and young people from Russian regions are invited to participate in the forum.
The film awards are held with support from the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives. The official partner is the House of Peoples of Russia.
Organising partners: the National Centre RUSSIA, COUNTRY Culture and Cinematography Development Foundation, Studio Country, ArtMasters production centre.
Strategic partners: Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs, "DNA of Russia" Project, New Media Workshop, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Rossotrudnichestvo, Youth Parliament at the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Happiness Production Centre, All-Russian Public Organisation "Union of Fathers."
Research on the influence of film projects will be conducted with the participation of leading online platforms, the motivating films platform "Motivating Lessons" and universities: Presidential Academy, Higher School of Economics, Ural Federal University.
Based on the film awards results, an analytical report will be prepared for government authorities, the film industry and online platforms, industry, education sector, and investors. Screenings of shortlisted projects will be organised for youth audiences in Russian regions and abroad.
An excursion for veterans of the special military operation through the multimedia exposition "Journey Across Russia" took place at the National Centre RUSSIA.
