Regulations
The 21th Spirit of Fire International Debut Film Festival is a cultural and educational event held in accordance with the present Regulations, approved by Executive Direction and agreed by the Department of Culture of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, by the President of the Festival. It is a public screening of specially selected films that includes a competitive program consisting of films evaluated by a professional jury.
The 21th Spirit of Fire International Debut Film Festival is supported by the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
Article 1.
In accordance with the Federal law “On State Support of Cinematography of the Russian Federation”, the targets and objectives of the 21th Spirit of Fire International Debut Film Festival are as follows:
- creating conditions for the upbringing of a harmoniously developed personality;
- creating conditions for international cultural relations of the Autonomous Okrug;
- creating conditions for cultural diversity in the Autonomous Okrug;
- familiarization of the audience with the best works of world and Russian cinema;
- search and competitive support of talented debutants in the field of cinematography;
- assistance to the development of creative industries in the field of film art, integration of the Russian debut cinema into the global cinema;
- creation of intangible cultural heritage;
- promoting the Film Festival in the information space at the internal, macro-regional, national, international levels as a brand of the Autonomous Okrug;
- promoting the development of entrepreneurial, cultural and tourist potential, including development within the Autonomous Okrug;
- attracting the mass audience to cinemas.
Article 2.
The main events of the 21th Spirit of Fire International Debut Film Festival (hereinafter — the Film Festival, the Film Forum) will take place in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk, (Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra) and can also be held partly in an online format on the Festival’s official website and official pages on social networks on March 3-6, 2023.
The official Opening Ceremony (03.03.2023 at 19:00) and Closing Ceremony (06.03.2023 at 19:00) of the Film Festival will be held in the large hall of the Ugra-Classic Concert and Theatre Centre and will be webcasted.
The Your Cinema competitive program of films for children and family will take place in the municipalities of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra (at least 3 cities) from February 28 to March 3, 2023.
Echo of the Festival (screenings of films of the festival program) is scheduled to be held from March 5 to March 18, 2023. Cities and countries is agreed by Committee.
Article 3.
The 21th Festival is organized by the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra.
The highest collective body of the 21th Film Festival is the Organizing Committee for its preparation and holding (hereinafter – the Committee), which is headed by the Governor of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra.
The Committee representing the Department of Culture
of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra approves the President of the Film Festival and determine the Executive Directorate of the Film Festival.
The President of the 21th Film Festival approves the Vice-President of the Film Festival.
The Executive Directorate of the Film Festival approves the Chairperson of the Selection Committee of the Film Festival.
By the decision of the Executive Directorate and the approval of the Committee, the position of Art Director of the Film Festival may be introduced.
The President, Vice-President, Chairperson of the Selection Committee and Art Director form the Presidential Council of the Film Festival.
In accordance with the 21th Film Festival’s artistic concept approved by the Committee, the Presidential Council of the Film Festival develops program events (competitive programs, special screenings, retrospectives, cultural program, etc.).
The Executive Directorate of the 21th Film Festival comprises the Moscow and Khanty-Mansiysk offices.
Article 4.
The Chairperson of the Selection Committee and the Executive Directorate approve the Selection Committee of the 21th Film Festival.
The Selection Committee consists of at least 5 members: the Vice-President of the Film Festival (the Program Director), the Chairperson of the Selection Committee, as well as invited consultants.
The Selection Committee of the 21th Film Festival is guided by its artistic and aesthetic professional criteria and sets itself the task of reflecting trends and directions of modern cinema in compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.
The Selection Committee maintains confidentiality of discussions on the selection of films and does not make reviews of these films.
To preserve the intellectual property of producers and distributors of films, to avoid conflicts of interest, as well as for compliance with article 29 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, only members of the Selection Committee and the Presidential Council are allowed to select competitive films.
The Department of Culture of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra coordinates the competitive program of the 21th Film Festival for compliance with the number of films in accordance with the Regulations and the application for inclusion in the List of international festivals held on the territory of the Russian Federation.
No less than 6 feature films, including not less than 1 national film, will participate in the international (main) competition of the Film Festival if they meet the following requirements:
• film should be the first or second full-length work of a director in the field of live-action films;
• films participating in the international competition shall not have been previously publicly demonstrated on the territory of the Russian Federation;
• DCP is the preferred format for the film in the original language with English subtitles if the original language is not English;
• film participation in the international competition provides for the mandatory presence of the director and/or starring actor. In case the director and/or starring actor cannot come to the Film Festival, the Directorate of the Film Festival reserves the right to include the film in the competition, if the film is presented by a member of the crew of the leading creative profession or the director and/or starring actor remotely, through their participation in the presentation and discussion of the film before and after the screening via a specially organized teleconference, video call and/or conference via Zoom, Skype or services that are specially developed for the Festival and available for the viewers and the professional audience.
No less than 6 full-length films will participate in the Russian Debuts competition. These films should be the first work of a director in the field of live-action films. DCP is a preferred format.
No more than 18 short feature films up to 30 minutes in length will participate in The Debut — Short Film competition.
No less than 6 full-length films will participate in the Your Film competitive program.
The 21th Film Festival’s competitive programs involve films, which were completed on or after November 1, 2021.
Article 5.
The Moscow office of the Film Festival Directorate, headed by the Vice-President (the Program Director) of the Film Festival, in coordination with the President of the Festival, directs the work of the Selection Committee, determines the list of the honorary guests and jury members, notifies the Organizing Committee of the Festival and the Department of Culture of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra of the results of the work.
The International Jury of the Film Festival consists of the Chairperson
and members of the Jury, the famous masters of world cinema. It assesses films of the international competition program.
The Grand Russian Jury of the Film Festival consists of Russian cinematographers, which may include actors, directors, and producers. It assesses the films of the Russian competitive program.
Operators Jury of the Film Festival awards the Guild of Operators Prize named after P.T. Lebeshev for the best camera work in the debut film.
Composers jury of the film festival awards the prize
for the best work with music in the film of the international or Russian competitive program.
The jury of the Debut — Short Film competition may consist of film experts, film critics, producers, film directors or other cinema representatives. It awards prizes “Golden Taiga – Short Film” and “Silver Taiga – Short Film”, and also has the right to award a diploma with a special formulation for the artistic merits of the film in the Debut — Short Film competition.
It is assumed that retrospective shows, public lectures, and workshops by the Film Festival participants will be held as well.
The storage medium with the recording of the competitive film, which has passed the official selection, is returned to the owner.
Article 6.
At the end of the Film Festival, the following prizes will be presented:
I. International Competition:
1.1. The grand prize of the Film Festival — “Golden Taiga” — for the best debut film and a premium in the amount of six hundred thousand rubles;
1.2. The prize “Silver Taiga” for the debut film and a premium
in the amount of three hundred thousand rubles;
1.3. The prize “Bronze Taiga” for the debut film and a premium
in the amount of one hundred thousand rubles
II. Russian Competition:
2.1. Audience Choice Award — “Golden Taiga” is awarded
based on the results of the audience vote;
2.2. The prize named after Sergey Solovyov “Flowers of Hope of Taiga” for directing is awarded by the decision of the Grand Russian Jury;
2.3. The prize named after Alexander Abdulov “Best Actor in Russian Debut Film” is awarded by the decision of the Grand Russian Jury;
2.4. Prize named after Alexander Abdulov “Best Actress
in Russian Debut Film” is awarded by the decision of the Grand Russian Jury;
III. Prize “Best Camera Work” in the competitive or non-competitive Russian film;
IV. Debutant director prize for the best music
in the film of International or Russian competitive program.
V. Prize and premium by the Film Festival general partner, Gazprom Neft PJSC, “For the Preservation of Cultural Traditions”.
VI. The competition “Debut — Short Film” (the jury comprises
the film experts and critics):
• The prize “Golden Taiga — Short Film”;
• The prize “Silver Taiga — Short Film”.
VII. Festival President’s prize “Golden Taiga” is awarded by the personal decision of the President of the Film Festival. It can be awarded for contribution to cinematography or for a debut film.
Article 7.
Applications for the selection of films participating in the 21th Film Festival’s main competitive programs will be accepted from November 30, 2022, to January 20, 2023 (00:00 (Moscow time)).
The final decision will be made by the 21th Film Festival Selection Committee no later than February 10, 2023.
Article 8.
The Moscow office of the Executive Directorate and the President of the Film Festival undertakes as follows:
by January 20, 2023
– to determine the list of honorary guests and jury members of the 21th Film Festival;
by February 15, 2023
– to create special and cultural programs for the 21th Film Festival;
– to prepare promotional materials, synopsis, and technical reference for each selected film.
The Moscow office of the Executive Directorate of the Film Festival undertakes as follows:
by February 18, 2023
– to prepare the festival copy (in electronic form) of each invited film.
by February 18, 2023
– to provide visa support for foreign participants.
Article 9.
The Khanty-Mansiysk office of the Executive Directorate of the Film Festival undertakes as follows:
– preparation, technical support, and organizational work on the official sites of the Film Festival, preparation of the main documentation of the Film Festival;
– preparation and organization of work on cultural events of the Film Festival (development of special and concert-entertainment projects), equipping and operating of the Film Festival Headquarters, organization of arrival and accommodation of participants and guests of the Film Festival;
– organization and control of information and advertising campaigns to cover and promote the events of the Film Festival, of the cultural program of a stay for guests and participants of the Film Festival;
– preparation and implementation of the outreach program of the Film Festival;
– assistance to the director’s crew of the Festival President in organizing and holding the opening and closing ceremonies of the Film Festival.
Article 10.
The President of the Film Festival has the right to deal with all matters
not covered by these Regulations, within the competence established by the Decree of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra dd. 29.04.2111 No. 139-p “On Spirit of Fire International Debut Film Festival” (as amended on August 16, 2119 (as amended by Decrees of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra dd. 14.01.2112 No. 10-p, dd. 01.02.2113 No. 28-p, dd. 21.03.2114 No. 98-p, dd. 08.05.2114 No. 167-p, dd. 18.12.2115 No. 468-p, dd. 25.05.2118 No. 164-p, dd. 25.06.2118 No. 198-p, dd. 16.08.2119 No. 275-p).
If there are objective reasons, by the initiative of the President’s Council of the Film Festival, and (or) of the Department of Culture of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, and (or) the Executive Directorate of Film Festival, the present Regulations may be amended and supplemented. Amendments and supplements to the articles of the present Regulations are subject to approval (in accordance with paragraph 12 of the Decree of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra dd. 29.04.2111 No. 139-p. “On Spirit of Fire International Debut Film Festival”). The period for approval of amendments and supplements shall not exceed three working days from the date of the documentary (written) initiation.
Article 11.
The Executive Directorate of the Film Festival in coordination with the President of the Film Festival and the Department of Culture of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra should approve:
By December 20, 2022:
– the mediaplan of the Film Festival:
– Film Festival prize sketches;
– informational and promotional materials of the Film Festival;
– cultural program of the Film Festival.
By January 31, 2023:
- symbols, emblem, motto (slogan), logo of the Film Festival;
– retrospectives of prominent international and Russian film directors;
– program of films for children and family “Your Cinema”, screenings and workshops;
– film program on social adaptation of people with limited mobility “Cinema for All”;
– special screening programs;
– workshops for children and youth;
– industrial program;
– discount and promotion campaigns;
– official receptions programs, programs of protocol events, and Clubs of professional filmmakers;
– guided tours and tourist ethnographic programs of the Film Festival;
– visiting film programs and cultural events outside
the city of Khanty-Mansiysk, including in the city of Moscow;
– list of honorary guests of the Film Festival;
– Chairperson and members of the jury of the Film Festival;
– scenario and procedure for the opening and closing ceremonies, protocol issues of the Film Festival;
By February 22, 2023:
main programs of the Film Festival:
- competitive international program of debut films;
- competitive program of Russian debut films.
Article 12.
The total number of members of the jury and their accompanying guests, participants, partners, journalists, employees of the Moscow office of the Executive Directorate of Film Festival, invited to participate in major events in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk, shall not exceed 120 people.
The Executive Directorate of the Film Festival in coordination with the President of the Film Festival and the Department of Culture of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra should approve the final personal composition of the participants and guests of the Film Festival before January 31, 2023.
The members of the jury and their accompanying guests, participants, partners, representatives of the Moscow office of the Executive Directorate of the Film Festival, invited to participate in major events in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk, should be accommodated in the city hotels.
Air transportation of the guests and participants of the Film Festival en-route: from the city of Moscow (St. Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, and other Russian cities if necessary) to the city of Khanty-Mansiysk (Surgut, Nizhnevartovsk) and back should be performed by regular flights of UTair and Aeroflot airlines.
If measures to prevent the spread and the occurrence of cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are strengthened, it is possible to introduce a remote format for the participation of guests, participants, jury members, press representatives, and viewers in the Film Festival, by organizing and holding online film screenings, broadcasts of events, discussions, press conferences, workshops, business and entertainment programs of the Film Festival on the Internet.
Article 13.
Official venues of the Film Festival in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk:
1) the large hall, press room, transformer hall, organ hall of the Ugra-Classic Concert and Theatre Centre, 22 a Mira St.;
2) large and small halls of the Centre of Arts for Gifted Children of the North, 1 Piskunova St.;
3) halls of the Cinema Centre, 4 Lopareva St.;
4) conference hall of the State Art Museum, 2 Mira St.;
Article 14.
On the threshold of the Film Festival the President, the Executive Directorate and the Presidential Council of the Film Festival shall hold:
- presentation of programs and campaigns of the Film Festival in Khanty-Mansiysk;
2) press conference by the organizers and partners of the Film Festival in Moscow in January/February 2023;
3) informational and promotional campaigns to cover the Film Festival events.
The events of the Film Festival are highlighted in the media, on the official websites of the founders and main executors of the Film Festival. Journalists shall get accredited for the Film Festival events.
