7-th Odessa international film festival will be held until July 23
July 15 at the Odessa national Academic Opera and ballet theatre a solemn ceremony of opening of the OIFF-2016, during which were presented the jury and the films participating in competitive programs.
Honorary award “Golden Duke” for contribution to cinema was presented by British screenwriter and Director Christopher HAMPTON, and piercing performance of the winner of “Eurovision 2016” Jamala made the gala evening.
The opening ceremony began with a minute of silence as a sign of sympathy to the families and friends of the victims of the tragedy in nice. Furthermore, Yevgeny Nischuk, Minister of culture of Ukraine, in support of Oleg Sentsov was read from the stage Philip Ilyenko, head of the State Agency for movies of Ukraine.
The President of OIFF Victoria Tigipko, congratulated all guests with the opening of one of the largest film forums in Eastern Europe — the 7-th Odessa international film festival: “I am very pleased that we returned to the Opera house, it was like coming home. At the time when the Duke de Richelieu was the initiator of the construction of the Opera house, his idea was the unification of the cultural elite. Our festival is already seven years old, and we have set ourselves is no less ambitious goal: to unite the cultural, business and art elite, opinion leaders: those who care about the development platform of the new Ukrainian cinema”.
This year from hands Victoria Tigipko honorary award “Golden Duke” for contribution to the film got Oscar-winning screenwriter and Director Christopher HAMPTON, who also headed the jury of the International competition program. “Usually, the award of merit is awarded at the end of his career, even after 50 years that have passed since, as was set my first play, I want to take this award as encouragement to continue,” shared the stage British filmmaker.
In addition to Christopher Hamptons international jury member of the European film Academy, Rebecca O’brien, winner of the OIFF-2015 Eva Neiman, American film Director Alex Ross Perry and the famous producer uberto Pasolini, who introduced the presenter of the evening Masha Efrosinina. Together with the composition of the jury was announced and movies competition programs: international competition of the OIFF-2016 will be presented 12 paintings, in the contest of European documentary films 6 works, and the national program broke the record of the festival — more than 300 works have applied to participate, of which the competition has got 5 full-length and 21 short film.
Mikheil Saakashvili also thanked the organizers of the festival. “Odessa is a stunning global brand. We are actively working to attract city investment, including in the field of film industry,” — said the head of the Odessa regional administration. In addition, welcomed the guests of the festival and stressed the importance of holding such a large event in a difficult time for the country, the Chairman of the Odessa regional Council Anatoly Urban and the mayor Gennady Trukhanov.
The winner of “Eurovision 2016”, Ukrainian singer Jamal, at the end of the evening he sang his own version of the famous Aria “Summertime” by American composer George Gershwin, which was taken by lullaby “Oh goes to sleep Kolo vikon”. Ukrainian star chose a red carpet dress from Ivan Frolov.
The opening film “Margarita” by French Director Xavier Giannoli presented by the male lead andré Marcon. Foreign guests of the red carpet were David Novak, who on the same evening, presented his documentary film “finding Babel” on the Langeron descent, Donald Sosin, who created original music for the film “Sherlock Holmes”, Olias Barco with Pauline, pachinko starred in the latest film of the Director and other star guests of the festival.
7-th Odessa international film festival will run until 23 July 2016.
