RT President met with members of organizing committee of III International Muslim Cinema Festival “Golden Minbar”

Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev met with members of the organizing committee on preparation and organization of the II International Muslim Cinema Festival “Golden Minbar”. The festival will take place in Kazan on September 6-12. Chairman of RF Muftis Council, President of the festival Ravil khazrat Gaynutdin, President of Islamic Cultural Centre Abdul-Vahed Niyazov, deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Culture of RT Zilya Valeeva, chairman of RT Muslim Religious Board Gusman khazrat Iskhakov and other officials took part in the meeting in Kazan Kremlin.

At the beginning of the meeting Tatarstan President indicated importance of Muslim cinema festival, which will be organized under the motto “Towards dialogue of cultures through culture of dialogue”. He pointed out that interest to the festival grows year by year. If 12 countries (40 works) were presented on the first festival in 2005, representatives of 46 world countries presented 200 films this year.

“We have the beginning; the fact that number of participants grows year by year is pleasant. It helps to establish mutual understanding of people from different religions; it is important for establishing peace. Dialogue of cultures is significant.” M.Shaimiev said. He added that everything will be done in Tatarstan in order to make the Festival of Muslim Cinema a real event in cultural life of Russia and the whole Muslim world.

Chairman of RF Muftis Council Ravil khazrat Gaynutdin declared that the festival “Golden Minbar” will be successful this year. “Number of participants increases; the whole world knows about this event nowadays. 46 countries of the world presented their films – it demonstrates that “Golden Minbar” can hold the same position with the Cannes Festival,” R.Gaynutdin noted.

“Golden Minbar” becomes a really international event,” RT Vice-Premier – Minister of Culture Zilya Valeeva considers. “We needed patronage of RT President in order to raise the festival’s level, and we received his support. It will give an additional impulse to the festival,” Zilya Valeeva said. According to her words, last year Mintimer Shaimiev set a task to make this festival of Muslim cinema “eastern Cannes”. “We informed him that we are moving forward in this direction,” she added.

The head of the republic informed journalists that he put forward a proposal to announce the festival Kazan International Festival of Muslim Cinema. “Even of public will mix it with the Cannes Festival, there is nothing bad about it,” he said. The purpose of the festival is exchange of experience between culture and art workers from Russia and Islamic countries, demonstration of Muslim cinematographers’ achievements, creation of objective view on Islam and Muslims in Russian and the world communities.

The III International Muslim Cinema Festival contest program includes 49 contest works: 16 gull-length, 15 short-length fiction films, 12 documentaries, and 6 television reports. Members of the judging commission are Odelsha Agishev (playwright), Gassan Massud (actor), Rodoslav Spasov (director, Bulgaria), Layla Pakalninya (director, Latvia), Vasiliy Antipov (the head of the program “Muslim” on “Russia” TV channel), Chingiz Aytmatov (writer). Chairman of the jury hasn’t been determined yet.