By Ashraf Aboul-Yazid

Cinema is the mirror of our dreams, illuminating the giant silver screen, from which light flows into the hearts and minds of viewers. In the city of Kazan, twenty years ago, the symbol of the ‘Altyn Minbar’ added a human dimension to this light, which was the Kazan International Film Festival, which I have been monitoring since its inception. I have had the privilege of attending many of its editions, and I participated in one of its jury committees three years ago. It was surprising and exciting at the same time that the festival always opens with the blessing and presence of the country’s Mufti, as if it were a message that Islam has a heart that is wide enough for art and beauty.

In 2006, I began my travels to Tatarstan, one of the republics of the Russian Federation, and I fell in love with its capital city, Kazan, which celebrated its thousandth anniversary at the time. It is a city of history, art, and beauty, located in the middle of the Volga River Delta with the river named after it, about 800 km south of the Russian capital, Moscow. The beauty of the city was not the only reason, but its people and lovers who competed to protect their heritage, through research, writing and documentation.

It is the world film festival that traces its path along the Silk Road, not only connecting continents, not only engaging in dialogue with cultures, but also uniting all human values.

In Tatarstan, after the Volga Bulgars embraced Islam in 922 AD, the date of the arrival of the traveler Ahmed bin Fadlan, “Kazan” began to take shape in the form of primitive wooden houses, until its birth was announced in 1005 AD, and its name appeared for the first time in written literature in 1177 AD.

The city would enjoy its Islam and peace for four centuries, until its gates were destroyed by the hordes of Ivan the Terrible’s armies on October 2, 1552 AD. The Muslim Tatars bravely faced Ivan the Terrible’s deadly army for five years of a war of attrition to retake “Kazan”. This was the period during which the methods of building houses in the city changed for the first time from wood to stone, and also witnessed the construction of new protective walls. Then the architect Ivan Shariai came to Kazan with 200 of his assistants to rebuild the city with stone houses in 1555 AD.

Every street in Kazan has a story, every house in its streets has a tale, and every mosque on its outskirts stands with its minaret as a witness to an ancient and also mazing history

Since its conversion to Islam, Tatarstan has been writing its language in Arabic letters, before Tsar Peter I forced the sons of the Tatars and others to use the Russian alphabet in reading and writing, in 1707 AD.

Every street in Kazan has a story, every house in its streets has a tale, and every mosque on its outskirts stands with its minaret as a witness to an ancient and also mazing history. Today, we find in the city many of these historical places that have already been restored, and some of them have been transformed into tourist attractions. The first president of the republic, Mintimer Shaimiev, founder of its film festival, received the King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam, in recognition of his role in restoring the republic’s mosques and establishing its most famous landmark, the Kul Sharif Mosque.

Read: Kazan International Film Festival has been held since 2005 under the motto “Through the dialogue of cultures to the culture of dialogue”

In the last two decades, the Republic of Tatarstan has had a team for strategic vision between Russia and the Islamic world, and its work has paid off greatly. The slogan was, “Dialogue of Cultures through the Culture of Dialogue,” a dialogue that bore fruit cinematically throughout the festival days. The festival received special patronage from the Ministers of Culture of the Republic, starting with Ms. Zilya Valeeva, up to Ms. Irada Ayupova. I like to thank Ms. Raisa Safiulina, a member of the Public Council of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan, founder and coordinator of the Diplomatic Club “Public Diplomacy – in the Dialogue of Cultures,” who introduced me to this event about two decades ago.

Read: The Iranian Family Film to open the Kazan International Film Festival

Thanks to executive director of the “Altyn Minbar” film festival Miliausha Aituganova, every year, a new idea is added, a renewed project, through joint production, an international market, workshops, and seminars, and with it the festival regains its birth name (the Golden Platform), and resists all difficulties, thanks to those in charge of it, who believed in the ability of cinema to create dreams, and the ability of man to turn his dreams into reality. “Altyn Minbar” is included in the list of cinema projects supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The Kazan International Film Festival is held with the support of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and the Ministry of Culture of Russia, as well as in partnership with the strategic vision group “Russia – Islamic World”.

Since its conversion to Islam, Tatarstan has been writing its language in Arabic letters, before Tsar Peter I forced the sons of the Tatars and others to use the Russian alphabet in reading and writing, in 1707 AD.

Outside the Western framework, comes a festival that transcends borders, believes in values, encourages national capabilities, urges young people, women, and new generation to participate, and hosts different and accomplished voices worthy of appreciation and participation. It is the world film festival that traces its path along the Silk Road, not only connecting continents, not only engaging in dialogue with cultures, but also uniting all human values.

Read: Tatarstan’s 3 films selected for Kazan International Film Festival

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Ashraf Aboul-Yazid is a senior journalist, poet and writer from Egypt. He is author of some three dozen books on poetry, and other subjects including novels, travelogue etc.

The post Kazan International Film Festival ‘Altyn Minbar’: Twenty Years of Dreams first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Kazan Correspondent

The XX “Altyn minbar” Kazan International Film Festival will be opened by “In the Arms of a Tree” film by Babak Khajepasi.

As Nina Kochelyaeva, the head of the selection committee of the Kazan Film Festival, noted, “The year 2024 is announced as Family Year. That is why we chose this psychological family drama as the opening film of the festival. Respecting children’s choices and doing one’s best to preserve family are some of the issues it touches on.

This is the story of a couple whose marriage is about to end. The only thing that can save the parents’ marriage is the love and friendship of the two sons.

According to Deputy Mufti for Information Policy Rishat Khamidullin, cinema is a powerful tool of influence: in the wrong hands, it can destroy a person’s self-awareness, break the connection with his identity, and establish wrong values.

“The issues of family and mutual respect between a man and a woman are crucial in Islam and Russia. If we do not promote traditional values, others will impose their priorities that contradict our culture,” he considers.

Read: Tatarstan’s 3 films selected for Kazan International Film Festival

He also recommends watching “In the Arms of a Tree” with the whole family. More than that, the number of screening places is large.

On the opening day of September 6, the film will be screened in “Mir” and “Rodina” cinemas. Also, open-air screenings will take place in the Public office of the Kazan Kremlin and on the embankment of the Kaban Lake.

Traditionally, the opening film of the festival will set the tone for the entire project.

The XX “Altyn minbar” International film festival will be held from September 6 to 11, 2024.

We remind you that “Altyn minbar” is included in the list of film projects supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.  The Kazan International Film Festival is held with the support of the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan of Rustam Minnikhanov and the Ministry of Culture of Russia, as well as in partnership with the strategic vision group “Russia-Islamic World.”

Read: Kazan International Muslim Film Festival hosts South Asia Cinematography Program

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The post The Iranian Family Film to open the Kazan International Film Festival first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Kazan Correspondent

Three films by Tatarstani filmmakers have been selected for the international program of the XX “Altyn Minbar” Kazan International Film Festival, which will take place in Kazan from September 6 to 11. More than that, 11 more films are presented in the national competition.

As it was mentioned earlier, the shortlist for the XX “Altyn Minbar” Kazan International Film Festival has been formed. This year, the organizing committee received 814 applications from 47 countries around the world. The official selection for the festival includes 51 films from 27 countries. There are 10 films per nomination: “feature films”, “short feature films”, “documentary films”, “animated films,” and 11 films in the national competition, which includes films produced in Tatarstan and those about Tatarstan.

The main “Feature Film” nomination presents the Tatarstani film “The Mountain of Lovers” by Salavat Yuzeev. In the “Documentary Films” nomination there is “Mon” by Radif Kashapov. “Learn Tatar with Ak Bure” by Farit Farisov is presented in the “Animated films” section.

The feature film “The Mountain of Lovers” is based on the poetic novel of the same name by the national poet of Tatarstan Ildar Yuzeev. The film is written and directed by the only heir of the writer, his son Salavat Yuzeev.

The filming took place in Ary village of the Atnya district of the Republic of Tatarstan, Moscow, as well as at the “Belarusfilm” national film studio in the city of Minsk.

“The production team of “The Mountain of Lovers” reached a new level. The shooting period was in the summer and fall. In February 2024, we shoot the winter scenes in Belarus. According to the scenario, the hero finds himself in a war and then in a death camp. Of course, the best place is “Belarusfilm”. A cooperation agreement with the film studio was signed in fall 2023. Minsk residents took an active part in organizing the shooting, said the film producer, director of GBUK RT “Tatarkino” and executive director of the “Altyn Minbar” film festival Miliausha Aituganova.

The main characters in the film were played by Bulat Gataullin the Kariev theater actor, and Elsa Karimova, the theater studio actress. Also, the film stars Ildus Akhmetzynov, Rafik Tagirov, Liliya Sergeeva, Dilyara Rakhimova, Gulchachak Khafizova, Liliya Makhmutova, Halima Iskanderova, Minvali Gabdullin, Raushan Sharif and Ildus Gabdrakhmanov.

In her interview for the online newspaper “Real’noe vremya”, Marina Galitskaya, a member of the Cinematographers Union of Tatarstan, producer, and screenwriter, said the following: For the first time, the relevant ecological topic of preserving natural sanctuaries as the spiritual and cultural heritage of the nation was raised by the poet Ildar Yuzeev. The heroine defends her hill as a symbol of a connection with a beloved one. It became a sacred place for her, where one could feel the presence of a young man and have memories of love and vows. The scenario is developed in a road movie format, with flashbacks of the youth of the main characters and an optimistic end with the salvation of “The Mountain of Lovers”.

Related report: Short list for the XX Kazan International Film Festival announced

Presented in the documentary competition, “Mon. Explanation” is devoted to the untranslatable Tatar word meaning as state of mind, melody, and even a sort of aspiration.

The idea came to my mind when I was standing by the theater stage MON, the one where the “Mon” performance takes place. According to the plot, three musicians try to explain each other and themselves the meaning of this word. And I thought about clarifying that in the format of a documentary film,” said Radif Kashapov the director and deputy chief editor of the internet newspaper “Real’noe vremya” in his op-ed.

Experts, musicians, literary scholars, poets, and linguists discuss the roots of the “untranslatable word”. Thanks to cameraman and documentary filmmaker Jury Gvozd the last interview of the National Artist of the Tatar ASSR, well-known singer Ilham Shakirov in which he gives his own definition of the notion, is included. “Mon is mon”, says the artist.

The new nomination for the XX “Altyn Minbar” Kazan International Film Festival “The Best Animated Film” includes the film by the Chairman of the Regional Public Organization “Tatar National Cultural Autonomy of Moscow” “Learning Tatar with Ak Bure”. The animated TV show “Ak bure” is an innovative project aimed at raising interest in learning Tatar language and culture among children. The main characters are a young wolf and his friends. They teach young audiences the words and expressions that can be used right after watching.

“The future is unimaginable without knowledge of the past and native language. Unfortunately, the Tatar language faces degradation, but we can still prevent it. It is crucial to start learning your native language since early childhood; that is why we made a colorful and dynamic animated film”, was explained by Farit Farisov in his interview for the Internet portal “Billion of Tatars”.

The project embraces both modern and traditional teaching methods and innovative animation and computer technologies.

Click here to check on the short-list of “Altyn Minbar” Kazan International Film Festival: https://kazan-mfmk.com/en/news/news/official-selection-of-the-xx-kazan-international-film-festival-altyn-minbar/

We note that “Altyn Minbar” is included in the list of cinema projects supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The Kazan International Film Festival is held with the support of the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and the Ministry of Culture of Russia, as well as in partnership with the strategic vision group “Russia – Islamic World”.

Read: A train crosses the rivers Indus, Nile and Volga

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