II International Film Festival for Children and Youth “Hero” Festival Program, Guests and Nominations

The II International Film Festival for Children and Youth “Hero” is one of the largest film events of the year that will be held in the Krasnoyarsk region from May 19 to 23, 2022. Citizens of the region have the chance to immerse in the professional cinema atmosphere for five days. World and Russian premieres, celebrity guests, creative meetings, master classes and round tables are waiting for festival audience. The festival founder is the Ministry of Culture of the Krasnoyarsk region, the festival organizer is the Regional State Autonomous Institution of Culture "Yenisei Kino".

More than 1,760 applications from 112 countries were sent to the festival directorate this year. Members of the selection committee which includes professional filmmakers selected 116 directors’ best films* from 36 countries. 27 films are exclusive premieres that have made up an extensive shortlist of competitive and non–competitive programs. Films screenings will be held at 18 venues of Krasnoyarsk, Aban, Divnogorsk, Norilsk and Uzhur.

It is important that the film authors will present many full-length films to the audience personally. Guests from the Republic of Belarus, Greece, Iran, and Kyrgyzstan are coming to the festival, as well as directors and actors, screenwriters and producers, supervisors and critics from different regions of Russia. Among them are famous young actors, Vitaliya Kornienko, films “Lyod 2”, “Vampiry Sredney Polosy” ("Ice 2", "Vampires of the Central Part of Russia") and Oleg Chugunov, films “Mayor Grom: Chumnoy Doktor”, “Avanpost” ("Major Thunder: Crazy Doctor", "Outpost"), actor and director Anton Bogdanov, films “Ogon”, “Yolky” ("Fire", "Christmas Trees"), as well as the project creators "Kikoriki" and the super–successful animated hit "Finnik" - Denis Chernov and Tatiana Belova. All of them will present their film works before screenings and also hold creative meetings and master classes.

Minister of Culture of the Krasnoyarsk region Arkady Zinov noted: “The International Film Festival for Children and Youth “Hero” is becoming one of the hallmarks of the Krasnoyarsk region. This year, the festival managed to attract filmmakers from more than 100 countries, it means that the region is reaching a new level of the recognition in the world. Moreover, the professional film festival for the younger generation allows to solve many tasks. The most important is the children's cinema traditions revival. At the moment, a huge multi-stage work has been carried out to prepare for this event, the eminent guests arrival is planned and we are pleased to invite all spectators of the Krasnoyarsk region to take part in the festival."

The opening ceremony will take place at the main festival venue – Cinema Park (Dubrovinsky str., 1i), on May 19 at 19:00. The first film of the competition program for the audience will be "Out of the Access Zone" (dir. Anna Kurbatova, Russia, 2021, 90 min., 12+). This is a touching film about friendship and first love. The film will be presented personally by the leading role actor Oleg Chugunov, the festival guest of honor.

A detailed program of the main events of the festival "Hero" can be found on the official website – geroyfilm.ru .

In total, eight awards will be raffled within the festival. They will go to the authors of the best full-length and short films, feature films, animated films and documentaries. Special attention deserves the "Who is your Hero?" nomination which presents films from filmmakers under the age of 18. It is especially significant that among the submitted works there are three from the Krasnoyarsk region, including the participants of the Film Intensive “Film Your Movie” which took place in November 2021, during the “Hero: Special Program event.” Vitaliya Kornienko became a jury member of this nomination. She will watch films-applicants and communicate with their creators personally.

The Echo of the II International Festival "Hero" starts after the main program completion. Selected films will be screened in cinemas throughout the Krasnoyarsk region: from the southern Shushenskoye to the polar Dudinka, from May 24 to June 30.

Reference Information:

II International Film Festival for Children and Youth “Hero” is the only one professional international competition for children and youth in Russia from Eastern Siberia to Sakhalin. The founder is the Ministry of Culture of the Krasnoyarsk region, the organizer is Krasnoyarsk State Autonomous Cultural Organization Enisey Kino. The festival takes place once in two years in the Krasnoyarsk region. The President of the festival is Vladimir Grammatikov, Honored Artist of Russia, film director, screenwriter, Disney Company creative producer. The Chairman of the Jury is Vladimir Alennikov, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, film director, screenwriter, writer, and producer.

In 2022, the jury will also include international experts. The festival program includes both Russian and world films. Creative meetings, master classes, lectures, educational laboratories, round tables/discussion platforms and thematic workshops will be held during the film festival.

Information for mass media:

tel.: +7-902-941-44-77 – Nina Chupakhina, special projects department

- Festival trailer: youtu.be/Mi8sgle2K-8.

- Video message by Vitaliya Kornienko: youtu.be/Rfqzx3heqtw.

Information for audience:

tel.:+7 391 243-73-20 – event management department