Mintimer Shaimiev and Catherine Deneuve open Golden Minbar

September 7, 3rd Golden Minbar International Muslim Film Festival started in Kazan. Tatarstan President and worldwide movie star Catherine Deneuve attended the opening ceremony of the fiestival.
The Festival brought together representatives from more than 75 countries. Among the festival jury members are Bulgar film director Radoslav Spasov, the head of TV-project Muslims Vasiliy Antipov, constant participant of the festival – film director Odelsha Agishev, Fin director Arvo Ikho, Egyptian actress Safia El Emari, producer general of the European Cinema and Television Association, Inal Sherip. Well-known Russian actors and directors – Stanislav Govorukhin, Vadim Abdrashitov, Olga Budina, Aristarkh Livanov and Sergey Nikinenko.
The opening ceremony of Golden Minbar took place at the Pyramid Entertainment Centre. Mintimer Shaimiev and Catherine Deneuve had a talk in the festival lobby before the beginning of the ceremony. The French guest thanked the President for the invitation to take part in the Muslim film forum. She said that Kazan made a very good impression on her. The head of the republic and the world film star, jury members and honoured guests of the festival were photographed at the Pyramid terrace with the Kazan Kremlin on the background.
The opening ceremony started with reading out the Koran sura. According to host of the ceremony Aristarkh Livanov Golden Minbar “has its style, its atmosphere, its face”. He also expressed confidence that the audience would become connoisseurs and experts in Muslim cinematography.
Chairman of the Russian Council of Mufties sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, RT Vice-Premier – Minister of Culture Zilya Valeyeva, head of the Russian Islamic Cultural Centre Abdul-Vakhed Niyazov and Head of the Kazan Executive Committee Marat Zagidullov welcomed the guests of the festival. Talking about “The Eastern Cannes” (it is an informal name of Golden Minbar), Ravil Gainutdin expressed confidence that the festival had obtained good reputation and realized its main motto “To culture of dialogue via dialogue of cultures”.