DetectiveFEST in Moscow

By Vestnik Kavkaza

The 'cop' shows which appeared on Russian TV in the 1990s are still very popular among our citizens. Policemen admitted that after these shows the public image of their profession improved significantly. They say that the secret of such low-budget TV movies is that they are shot by professionals who realize that people need Russian heroes, rather than American ones.

Recently the 17th International Festival of Detective Films and Shows on Law-Enforcement Topics – Detective FEST – took place in Moscow.

The festival is aimed at extending cooperation between nations in the sphere of cinema and television and at supporting authors who create movies and shows which consolidate society in the struggle against crime and terrorism.

This is the only festival of detectives in the world, where popular shows and famous blockbusters get a start in life. Journalistic investigators are also participants in the festival. DetectiveFEST annually gathers 500-900 participants from various countries – from Russia and Belarus to Iran and Croatia.

Feature films and documentaries, TV films, TV shows, and news programmes participate in the contest. Participants from 40 countries of the world were fighting for victory in the nomination of ‘Terrorism is the World’s Threat!’ Films on the struggle against terrorism, extremism, xenophobia, racism, and religious hatred were presented in it. The nomination ‘Dirty Money’ presented films on the struggle against corruption; ‘Crime and Punishment’ – on the struggle with various crimes; ‘World without Drugs’ – on the struggle against illegal drug trafficking; ‘Civil Society’ – on human rights; ‘War and Peace’ – on military service and military duties; ‘SOS’ – on rescuing people; and ‘Traffic Security’ – on safe traffic on roads.

A round table ‘Cinema and the Police’ took place within the festival. Its participants spoke about cooperation between law-enforcement agencies, the authorities and society under the creation of ideological cinema, including the creation of a positive image of a policeman-hero. “Almost all movies which have been shot in the last 15-20 years about the police are ideologically directed against policemen. Thus, we get a misinterpreted image of a policeman,” Oleg Sokolovsky, the deputy head of the 5th Department of the Information and Public Relations Office of the Moscow Chief Department of Russian Interior Ministry said.

The head of the Moscow City Duma Commission for Security, Inna Svyatenko, asked whether directors attracted experts from the Interior Ministry, who could help in avoiding various mistakes and false information about the police.

The president of Detective FEST, Yuri Mityushin, thinks that we need public contracts for ideological detectives and their financing. He suggests holding Detective Day in Moscow and building an alley of master detectives to promote the activities of force structures.

Mityushin told Vestnik Kavkaza that “a great number of countries participate in the International Festival of Detective Films every year. This year there were about 30 countries, 74 feature films, many TV shows on law-enforcement topics. All the nominations of the festival reflect the most painful problems of society. This is our strength. We are working with TV journalists on criminal and law-enforcement topics. These people do serious work. They speak truth, even though they are criticized by everyone. They are fighting against corruption, outrage of officials, drugs. We should deal with security on roads. We should form a public ideology which would show people that to live according to the law is much more comfortable and profitable than to violate it. Prisons don’t correct the situation, unfortunately.

On the one hand, society wants to be free and stay without any control. On the other hand, society wants security, but it doesn’t help law-enforcement agencies to put the country in order. There is no order without restriction of freedoms. If you live according to the law, you won’t pay attention to it. It doesn’t bother you.

I wish the authorities were wiser and listened to the representatives of civil society. And former policemen are representatives of the civil society as well. I have been serving for 22 years; five years in the central apparatus of the Interior Ministry. I am still working for the goals and tasks which I used to have. The main goal is establishing a system of a respectful attitude to the law.”

Mityushin thinks that one of the main problems is drugs: “We should unite society and its efforts. We should punish those who distribute drugs strictly. I like Iran’s experience. They simply hang drug mules.”

Commenting on the Iranian film ‘Sounds of My Land’ which won the contest, Mityushin said: “The Iranian film is about the struggle against religious extremism and the situation which appears in the territory of Iran, Syria, and Iraq. It is a horrible thing, as religious wars have always been the cruelest, the most bloody and pitiless. I am an atheist and prefer science, but I think all religious are united by an idea of striving for universal happiness. There are various ways, methods, clothes, habits, and customs. And this is wonderful. I think they should better compete in whose food is better. I like it! That’s why I am so fat.”

However, the main feature of the festival was its international character. We would like to list several nominees. There were TV shows from New Zealand, France, Nepal, and Iran. The judges liked feature films – Rearview (Canada), Razvedbat (Ukraine), "The Bridge at The End of The World" (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France), "I Must Live" (Belarus), "Solitary", (the UK), "Therapy for Murder" (Romania), "The Night of The Mouse" (Spain), "The World of Kanako" (Japan), "Colt 45" (France), "The Last Executioner" (Thailand), "I AM NOT LORENA", "THE BADGE", "Freaky Deaky" (the USA), "The Ambassador To Bern", "The Sketch Artist", "Herofinders" (Hungary), "Sweetheart" (Germany, the USA), "The Way You Die" (Germany), "Song Of My Land" (Iran).

 

Vestnik Kavkaza was able to talk with some of the winners.Iranian producer and director Emir Hussein Sharif- My film, which is dedicated to the fight against the terrorist organization "Islamic State", took the first prize. This film is not only my achievement, but the achievement of all our peoplewho are fighting terrorism. Our state does not tolerate terrorism in general. But I filmed not in my country, but on the border between Lebanon and Syria. Actors from Syria, from Egypt, from Lebanon, are involved in this film.- Your wife is an actress, did she also star in your film?- No, but she played a major role in the detective series "The Seventh Angel", filmed by IRIB.- Will your film be shown in other countries?- This is an international film not only because representatives of other countries starred in it, but because it is necessary to unite the efforts of all countries in the fight against "Islamic State", which became an evil on a planetary scale. They hide behind Islam, but they are not true Muslims. Such things must be fought everywhere, all over the world. I emphasize the international nature of the topic, and I think that this film will be in demand in many countries.I filmed 142 films, participated in six DetectiveFest festivals, and received an award at two of them, as a best producer. I received 70 prizes and awards at international film festivals in the US, France and Germany.Belarusian director of the film "We Must Live", Alexei TurovichI won the award for the best professional script, direction and acting job in the movie "We Must Live." The film tells the story of a woman who was psychologically not ready to communicate with people who behaved unworthily towards her. This is a detective and melodrama about postwar times. Anatoly Delendik, Honored Artist of Belarus, wrote the script for this film. The film is based on real events. The original title was "Sinner", but I made the more optimistic choice "We Must Live." The problem of today's youth is loneliness and, as a result, suicides. This applies not only to Belarus. The film raises issues of loneliness and love. Cherish love, and today life leads to the fact that young people are becoming addicted to drugs, not thinking about life, but about how to enjoy the temptation of things that will ruin them. So the film is primarily addressed to young people. For teenagers, teachers and parents, who are now with each other, this is a film rumination of life.- How long did you think about the idea of creating such a film?- Yes, I thought about it for a long time, because the film is based on real events. It was necessary to create a culture of frame, because I do not accept sex or perversions in the movies, but I had to show the story of a young woman who took revenge on men for disappointed love. We had to work a lot with the actress, casting was complex - it was hard to pick an actress who would boldly play this role with talent. You had to play so well, so that each woman could see herself in this role, in such a situation. Therefore, this scenario interested me as a feature film.- And who played the heroine?- Violetta Sarvirova from the Minsk Drama Youth Theatre. Now, by the way, she is in the decree.Of course, it was difficult to film - we were behind schedule, we were supposed to shoot in the summer, but shot in the early autumn. The character was supposed to fall into the lake, and the water was very cold. But we had to film.I am very pleased that the film "We Must Live" was assessed positively, it is nice to receive awards.The jury highlighted contestants from the North Caucasus. Thus, the correspondent of channel "Arhiz 24" Mahmut Bisilov became a nominee of the festival in two categories. The finalists were two news stories by the journalist - "Raid on Illegals" and "Operation "Bus"." The first work was filmed on the results of joint work with the Migration Service raid on the facilities of Karachay-Cherkessia, where the illegal work of immigrants was used. In the second story, the journalist raised the problem of roads safety of KCR, where people died in road accidents.The creative group "Pyatigorsk Time" brought a “silver diploma” from Moscow. The “Pyatigorsk Time” program is a debutant of the festival, and was presented in three categories. The story about the raid of the head of the city into the hospital qualified for the win in the nomination "Crime and Punishment" and information materials on the work of the youth camp "Mashuk" and reports on how the capital of the North Caucasian Federal District receives refugees from south-east Ukraine, were presented in the most significant and extensive nomination - "Terrorism is a threat to the world." Here, despite tough competition, residents of Pyatigorsk managed to win second place.But the most valuable prize for the residents of Pyatigorsk is a diploma and recognition in the category "War and Peace" for a film about a hero of the Russian-Japanese War, Iosif Trumpeldor.Natalia Goncharova, deputy director of "Pyatigorsk Time"We prepared a TV program dedicated to a hero of the Russian-Japanese war, resident of Pyatigorsk Iosif Trumpeldor. A legendary, amazing personality. While preparing the program, we learned a lot of new, unusual and forgotten about this unique man. Today there is a lot of talk about the First World War, the Second World War, but no one likes to remember the infamous, hard for Russia Russian-Japanese war. But there were also heroes then. One of them was Iosif Trumpeldor, a man who did not leave the army, even when he was wounded, even when he got only one hand, and was captured, he managed to remain a man and taught Russian soldiers to read and write. When the Japanese emperor heard about this, he was so impressed with the courage of this man that he told to make the prosthesis for him, on which it was written in golden letters "from the Japanese Emperor to a Russian soldier." When we prepared this program, we fell in love with his character, and we are very pleased that the members of the jury saw this love and noted our work.Police Lieutenant-Colonel Marina Gikieva (Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria)At the 17th International Film Festival DetectiveFest we presented the film "Terrorism - the Ideology of Violence." We have a troubled region, young people are affected by destructive forces. We decided to make this film and show it for the work with young people in schools and universities on all TV channels of our republic. KBR head Yuri Kokov supported us. We made this film together with the International Police Association. They sent us the statement of work, and we completed it, filmed it. The film touches souls. Those to whom I could show it even cried. God grant that our young people will react to the film in the same way, and that in the future there will be more of them, as many as possible. A film about terrorism around the world, in Russia and the North Caucasus, and in Kabardino-Balkaria.Vestnik Kavkaza was able to talk with some of the winners.

Iranian producer and director Emir Hussein Sharif

- My film, which is dedicated to the fight against the terrorist organization "Islamic State", took the first prize. This film is not only my achievement, but the achievement of all our peoplewho are fighting terrorism. Our state does not tolerate terrorism in general. But I filmed not in my country, but on the border between Lebanon and Syria. Actors from Syria, from Egypt, from Lebanon, are involved in this film.

- Your wife is an actress, did she also star in your film?

- No, but she played a major role in the detective series "The Seventh Angel", filmed by IRIB.

- Will your film be shown in other countries?

- This is an international film not only because representatives of other countries starred in it, but because it is necessary to unite the efforts of all countries in the fight against "Islamic State", which became an evil on a planetary scale. They hide behind Islam, but they are not true Muslims. Such things must be fought everywhere, all over the world. I emphasize the international nature of the topic, and I think that this film will be in demand in many countries.

I filmed 142 films, participated in six DetectiveFest festivals, and received an award at two of them, as a best producer. I received 70 prizes and awards at international film festivals in the US, France and Germany.

Belarusian director of the film "We Must Live", Alexei Turovich

- I won the award for the best professional script, direction and acting job in the movie "We Must Live." The film tells the story of a woman who was psychologically not ready to communicate with people who behaved unworthily towards her. This is a detective and melodrama about postwar times. Anatoly Delendik, Honored Artist of Belarus, wrote the script for this film. The film is based on real events. The original title was "Sinner", but I made the more optimistic choice "We Must Live." The problem of today's youth is loneliness and, as a result, suicides. This applies not only to Belarus. The film raises issues of loneliness and love. Cherish love, and today life leads to the fact that young people are becoming addicted to drugs, not thinking about life, but about how to enjoy the temptation of things that will ruin them. So the film is primarily addressed to young people. For teenagers, teachers and parents, who are now with each other, this is a film rumination of life.

- How long did you think about the idea of creating such a film?

- Yes, I thought about it for a long time, because the film is based on real events. It was necessary to create a culture of frame, because I do not accept sex or perversions in the movies, but I had to show the story of a young woman who took revenge on men for disappointed love. We had to work a lot with the actress, casting was complex - it was hard to pick an actress who would boldly play this role with talent. You had to play so well, so that each woman could see herself in this role, in such a situation. Therefore, this scenario interested me as a feature film.

- And who played the heroine?

- Violetta Sarvirova from the Minsk Drama Youth Theatre. Now, by the way, she is in the decree.

Of course, it was difficult to film - we were behind schedule, we were supposed to shoot in the summer, but shot in the early autumn. The character was supposed to fall into the lake, and the water was very cold. But we had to film.

I am very pleased that the film "We Must Live" was assessed positively, it is nice to receive awards.

The jury highlighted contestants from the North Caucasus. Thus, the correspondent of channel "Arhiz 24" Mahmut Bisilov became a nominee of the festival in two categories. The finalists were two news stories by the journalist - "Raid on Illegals" and "Operation "Bus"." The first work was filmed on the results of joint work with the Migration Service raid on the facilities of Karachay-Cherkessia, where the illegal work of immigrants was used. In the second story, the journalist raised the problem of roads safety of KCR, where people died in road accidents.

The creative group "Pyatigorsk Time" brought a “silver diploma” from Moscow. The “Pyatigorsk Time” program is a debutant of the festival, and was presented in three categories. The story about the raid of the head of the city into the hospital qualified for the win in the nomination "Crime and Punishment" and information materials on the work of the youth camp "Mashuk" and reports on how the capital of the North Caucasian Federal District receives refugees from south-east Ukraine, were presented in the most significant and extensive nomination - "Terrorism is a threat to the world." Here, despite tough competition, residents of Pyatigorsk managed to win second place.

But the most valuable prize for the residents of Pyatigorsk is a diploma and recognition in the category "War and Peace" for a film about a hero of the Russian-Japanese War, Iosif Trumpeldor.

Natalia Goncharova, deputy director of "Pyatigorsk Time"

We prepared a TV program dedicated to a hero of the Russian-Japanese war, resident of Pyatigorsk Iosif Trumpeldor. A legendary, amazing personality. While preparing the program, we learned a lot of new, unusual and forgotten about this unique man. Today there is a lot of talk about the First World War, the Second World War, but no one likes to remember the infamous, hard for Russia Russian-Japanese war. But there were also heroes then. One of them was Iosif Trumpeldor, a man who did not leave the army, even when he was wounded, even when he got only one hand, and was captured, he managed to remain a man and taught Russian soldiers to read and write. When the Japanese emperor heard about this, he was so impressed with the courage of this man that he told to make the prosthesis for him, on which it was written in golden letters "from the Japanese Emperor to a Russian soldier." When we prepared this program, we fell in love with his character, and we are very pleased that the members of the jury saw this love and noted our work.

Police Lieutenant-Colonel Marina Gikieva (Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria)

At the 17th International Film Festival DetectiveFest we presented the film "Terrorism - the Ideology of Violence." We have a troubled region, young people are affected by destructive forces. We decided to make this film and show it for the work with young people in schools and universities on all TV channels of our republic. KBR head Yuri Kokov supported us. We made this film together with the International Police Association. They sent us the statement of work, and we completed it, filmed it. The film touches souls. Those to whom I could show it even cried. God grant that our young people will react to the film in the same way, and that in the future there will be more of them, as many as possible. A film about terrorism around the world, in Russia and the North Caucasus, and in Kabardino-Balkaria.