The XXIII international film and television festival "Radonezh" ended in Moscow. The festival prize for the best camera work was awarded to the film "Passion for the Aral" made with the RGS grant.
The film "Passion for the Aral" tells the story of the Aral Sea. There was a time when it was the fourth largest in the world inland sea-lake. But from the beginning of the 60s years the unreason economic activity drained the rivers feeding the Aral. The sea began to die slowly. Today, there is the desert with its dunes, sandstorms, flora and fauna - Aralkum.
The picture is filmed in the documentary and artistic genre. Scientists discuss the problem of the Aral Sea: academician Igor Zonn, professors Alexander Semenov and Andrei Kostyanoy. And their opinions are fortified by the residents words. The main character travels on the sea-lake and speaks the words of the writer and pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Together with the author of "The Little Prince" viewers answer the questions: what is the meaning of human existence, why does a person get born and die, where does God hide and where to find the devil?
The director and cameraman Alexander Sveshnikov noted that the award was a surprise for the film crew. “To be honest, we didn’t expect it, because our picture is not about Orthodoxy, but about the terrible ecological catastrophe we all have observed. But, of course, the film is not only about ecology but rather it is about everyone’s responsibility for our common home - for ours still the blue planet Earth, which very quickly, with our help, can turn into a dead Planet of yellow sand. And the history of the Aral Sea is a serious confirmation and warning for that”, underlined Alexander.
The festival "Radonezh" is an event in the field of religious, spiritual and moral documentary films. It is held since 1995. The festival involves Russian and foreign state and independent film-, television- and radiocompanies, as well as private individuals who create works of church subjects, pictures about the history and culture of our country.
This year the festival jury was headed by director Vladimir Khotinenko.