International orthodox TV and film programs festival "Radonezh"
International orthodox TV and film programs festival "Radonezh" has been annually held in Russia since 1995. More than 1000 companies from all over the world have participated in it since that time. For the past years every such festival included up to 200 films by both well-known masters and debutants of orthodox cinema, always gaining reviewers' and public's appreciation.
Bearing both world outlook and aesthetic aspects, the leading line in candidate works is constantly devoted to the matters of place of human in the world, in the face of the Lord, among relatives, nationals, all the humanity, and value and dignity of human personality. Interest in Russian sacred culture and fundamentals of Russian civilization ensured exceptional success to retrospective festivals of "Radonezh" laureates inside the country and abroad.
Achieved results and gained experience can be summed up as follows:
- "Festival "Radonezh", along with other cultural events of this kind, let public re-comprehend the "orthodox cinema" itself. Not so long ago the idea enclosed a number of cinematographic means to depict a certain lay of reality; at present it is a full-fledged, and probably leading, sector of cinema art which has prompt development in those countries bearing traditional orthodox culture and released from rules of atheistic ideology.
- "The fest gives unique impulse to establishing new inter-national and inter-civilizational communication, and bilateral cultural enrichment. As they say "Words are wind but seeing is believing". Following this well-known saying, festival films in exceptionally deep manner reveal the features and images of orthodox civilization and Russian civilization in particular. The cinema language is becoming a new and irreplaceable part of language in dialogue of civilizations.
- "Festival "Radonezh" became unexcelled means of democratization and popularization of orthodox cinematograph. This is true both for audience who access the fest's works and for participants who gain rare opportunity in appraisal and self-appraisal of their films and professional contacts with colleagues from other countries and with representatives of different cultures and traditions.
- "Festival "Radonezh", being devoted to religious, philosophic and metaphysical comprehension of the world, human relationship and human responsibility, clearly shows the ability to understand other civilizations and cultures, overcome the disconnection together with international enmity, jealousy and malignant isolationism.
- "Festival "Radonezh" plays significant role in missionary and cultural sermon carried by art means. Its voice can be heard by many and many of those of our contemporaries from different countries of the world who are separated by social and political barriers and are not able to receive sermons in any other way than that.
- "Festival "Radonezh" became important event in Russia's cultural life also being one of its indispensable elements which in aestheticism and enlightenment sphere unites heaven and earth through live interconnection of people's creative genius.
To see the perspectives and to plan for future we shall glance ahead:
- Among festival's most important current tasks we see its further expansion in the list of participants, works' genre and contents. Orthodox cinema needs more intent attention from both temporal power and Local Churches hierarchy, which will make it more adequate for expression and propagation of orthodox sacred experience.
- Guided by the unique ability of documentary cinema by means of art images simply, briefly and clearly reveal deepest ideas, unmask old prejudices, the fest shall become ambassador for peace representing the deepest sacred image of Russia, other countries and nations, bearers of orthodox culture.
- Following Christ and His Church orthodox cinema shall in one way or another include all the best that the world art has with nothing rejected and neglected. As memorable metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh once precisely said, orthodox culture must realize all the good benefit more clearly than temporal culture itself does while bringing it to life.
- Inflow of new high-quality films gives special requirements to indexation, advertising and distribution of the works. It should be done through the Internet and by mailing so it could be brought to everyone in the world. Present-day technics provide with wide opportunities in that sphere but still it requires new resources.
- Mass expansion of amateur documentary cinema and PCs is giving rise to new direction in the fest's activity. We must arrange strong professional support to amateur documentary-makers and give the best of them an opportunity to gain high professional level, reveal and increase their creative potential.
- Finally, it is essential to cooperate more closely and integrate with other sides of church and social life - sermon, mission, mass media, etc - both in Russia, orthodox culture countries and in other lands where today dialogue of civilizations is tend to liven up and develop.