How the opening of MMCF

In 2012 the opening ceremony of the Moscow International Film Festival was not held in the traditional place for this event – the cinema “October” . Organizers could not agree with the new tenant of the cinema, so another capital cinema hall – “Pushkinsky” was chosen for the opening and closing of the festival. The platform in front of it is not so great, but the celebrities of Russian and world scale who came to this event were still able to walk along the red carpet, glittering outfits and smiles for the press. And at the end of the carpet road everyone was greeted by Nikita Mikhalkov, the permanent president of the forum of the last twelve years.

The solemn part of the ceremony began with the attendees commemorating the Italian screenwriter Tonino Guerra who departed three months ago. He worked in particular on films by such cinematographers as Antonioni and Fellini. The opening ceremony included a speech by Russian Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, who read a welcome letter to the participants of the MMKF-2012 from the President of the country. Then Nikita Mikhalkov invited Héctor Babenko, a Brazilian director with Ukrainian roots who is acting as president of the jury this year, to the stage and presented him with the corresponding symbol – the chain. According to the president of the film festival, she gives the chairman of the jury power over everything happening in the forum. Then the two main men of the 34 Moscow Film Festival by the duo declared the MMKF open.

Immediately, the first presentation of festival awards took place. Leading the ceremony actors Julia Peresild and Konstantin Lavronenko invited Tim Burton – the American director, who was awarded a special prize “For contribution to world cinematography”. The award was presented by Italian colleague of the American – director Paolo Taviani.