The Tsiolkovsky International Space Film Festival will be held in Kaluga and the Kaluga region for the sixth time. From April 12 to 16, locals and visitors alike will have the opportunity to attend film screenings, lectures by scientists, meetings with cosmonauts, writers, filmmakers, and other space-themed events.
On April 7, the press center of Russia’s Information Agency TASS, the festival’s key media partner, hosted a press conference dedicated to the upcoming Tsiolkovsky Film Festival. TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov, who has served on the festival jury for several years, participated in the event.
Festival President and People's Artist of Russia Igor Ugolnikov began his speech by announcing the most important update: the opening ceremony, traditionally held on April 12, will be open to the public this year. The stage will be set up outdoors at the State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics named after K.E. Tsiolkovsky, the festival’s main venue.
“Let me tell Kaluga residents and all guests right away: dress warmly, because it will be chilly, but your hearts will be warm!” said Igor Stanislavovich.
On April 7, the press center of Russia’s Information Agency TASS, the festival’s key media partner, hosted a press conference dedicated to the upcoming Tsiolkovsky Film Festival. TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov, who has served on the festival jury for several years, participated in the event.
Festival President and People's Artist of Russia Igor Ugolnikov began his speech by announcing the most important update: the opening ceremony, traditionally held on April 12, will be open to the public this year. The stage will be set up outdoors at the State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics named after K.E. Tsiolkovsky, the festival’s main venue.
“Let me tell Kaluga residents and all guests right away: dress warmly, because it will be chilly, but your hearts will be warm!” said Igor Stanislavovich.
He reminded the audience of the awards to be presented to the winners: the Tsiolkovsky Grand Prix, the Klushantsev Grand Prix, the Korolev Grand Prix, and the Gagarin Grand Prix. Awards will also be given for the best feature, documentary, animated, and full-dome films. Additionally, there are special prizes: the Festival President’s Prize, the Roscosmos State Corporation Prize, the Governor of Kaluga Region Prize, the City of Kaluga Prize, the Russian Time Watch Company Prize, the Journalists’ Prize, and the Cosmonauts’ Prize. This year, each winner will also receive a copy of the book Secrets of Old Kaluga: A Behind-the-Scenes History by Kaluga-based writer and journalist Alexey Urusov.
Long-standing jury chair and director of the State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics Natalya Abakumova highlighted that the main part of the festival program takes place at the world’s first space-themed museum.
“The task of filmmakers is to create a film that appeals to both a worker and a minister. That’s why our jury evaluates films based on three main criteria: content, form, and talent,” shared Natalya Abakumova.
She also highlighted the unique selection of full-dome films to be screened in the museum’s planetarium.
Long-standing jury chair and director of the State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics Natalya Abakumova highlighted that the main part of the festival program takes place at the world’s first space-themed museum.
“The task of filmmakers is to create a film that appeals to both a worker and a minister. That’s why our jury evaluates films based on three main criteria: content, form, and talent,” shared Natalya Abakumova.
She also highlighted the unique selection of full-dome films to be screened in the museum’s planetarium.
Joining the press conference online were creators of the heroic musical epic Onward to the Stars!, director Galina Vlasyonok, Honored Artist of Russia, and composer and conductor Pavel Ovsyannikov, People’s Artist of Russia. The patriotic musical stage performance will be presented in the Grand Atrium of the State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics on April 13. Those who were unable to get free tickets can watch a live broadcast on the platforms of the festival’s partners: the Museum and TRK “Nika.”
“Yuri Gagarin’s flight into space was a landmark global event. The idea for our production came after a street survey of Moscow youth. When asked who Yuri Gagarin was, half responded that he was related to Polina Gagarina. A wonderful singer, yes, but it’s unfortunate that interest in such a historic achievement is fading,” noted Pavel Ovsyannikov.
Galina Vlasyonok thanked the museum for its boldness in hosting an event involving 200 performers, a large technical crew, and a live audience.
Irina Soshnikova, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Production Arts at VGIK and Program Director of the festival (Feature Films and Animation), called attention to the scale of the event.
“Yuri Gagarin’s flight into space was a landmark global event. The idea for our production came after a street survey of Moscow youth. When asked who Yuri Gagarin was, half responded that he was related to Polina Gagarina. A wonderful singer, yes, but it’s unfortunate that interest in such a historic achievement is fading,” noted Pavel Ovsyannikov.
Galina Vlasyonok thanked the museum for its boldness in hosting an event involving 200 performers, a large technical crew, and a live audience.
Irina Soshnikova, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Production Arts at VGIK and Program Director of the festival (Feature Films and Animation), called attention to the scale of the event.
This year, the festival received 2,200 submissions. Of those, 108 films from 25 countries were selected for screening. The documentary section includes 16 short films and 11 feature-length ones. The feature film program includes 18 short and six full-length films. In addition, 33 animated short films were selected.
Soshnikova also mentioned TASS events within the festival: the film Photo Moments of TASS: In and Behind the Scenes, dedicated to the agency’s anniversary, and the opening of the photo exhibition Baikonur Through the Lens of TASS: On the 70th Anniversary of the Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 12. Another festival partner, Roscosmos State Corporation, will present its travel show Spacefaring Russia.
The festival continues its collaboration with archives: the Russian State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation and the Russian State Archive of Film and Photo Documents will showcase unique archival materials curated specifically for the festival. This year, the Irkutsk Regional Film Fund also joined the Tsiolkovsky Film Festival.
Film historian and curator of the festival’s retrospective program Nikolai Mayorov spoke about the importance of “space film anniversaries.” This year, five such films will be screened: Roll Call by Daniil Khrabrovitsky, Moon and I See the Earth! by Pavel Klushantsev, Orion’s Loop by Vasily Levin, and Mission to Orbit by Alexey Gubarev and Georgy Grechko.
“The retrospective program is educational: the older generation comes to reminisce about their youth and adulthood, while younger viewers discover a form of cinema they’ve never encountered. Each screening includes a talk about the film and how it was made. Unlike today’s digital effects, these films were created using real, tangible methods,” said Mayorov.
Soshnikova also mentioned TASS events within the festival: the film Photo Moments of TASS: In and Behind the Scenes, dedicated to the agency’s anniversary, and the opening of the photo exhibition Baikonur Through the Lens of TASS: On the 70th Anniversary of the Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 12. Another festival partner, Roscosmos State Corporation, will present its travel show Spacefaring Russia.
The festival continues its collaboration with archives: the Russian State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation and the Russian State Archive of Film and Photo Documents will showcase unique archival materials curated specifically for the festival. This year, the Irkutsk Regional Film Fund also joined the Tsiolkovsky Film Festival.
Film historian and curator of the festival’s retrospective program Nikolai Mayorov spoke about the importance of “space film anniversaries.” This year, five such films will be screened: Roll Call by Daniil Khrabrovitsky, Moon and I See the Earth! by Pavel Klushantsev, Orion’s Loop by Vasily Levin, and Mission to Orbit by Alexey Gubarev and Georgy Grechko.
“The retrospective program is educational: the older generation comes to reminisce about their youth and adulthood, while younger viewers discover a form of cinema they’ve never encountered. Each screening includes a talk about the film and how it was made. Unlike today’s digital effects, these films were created using real, tangible methods,” said Mayorov.
At the end of the press conference, Igor Ugolnikov reminded everyone that as part of the non-competitive program, audiences will be able to watch films by the VoenFilm studio: By the Call of the Heart, Saving Pushkin, and several others.
The Tsiolkovsky International Space Film Festival is held with the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, the Government and Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Kaluga Region. Festival partners include State Corporation “Roscosmos,” Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center Research Institute, the State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics, the Kaluga Regional Branch of the “Volunteers of Culture” All-Russian Public Movement, and other public and commercial organizations.
The festival’s key media partner is TASS, supported by media partnerships from Roscosmos Media and TRK “Nika.”
The festival’s key media partner is TASS, supported by media partnerships from Roscosmos Media and TRK “Nika.”