Regulations of the XXIV International Film Debut Festival "Spirit of Fire"
1. General Provisions
The XXV International Debut Film Festival o"Spirit of Fire" (hereinafter referred to as the Film Festival) is a cultural event held in accordance with these Regulations, which is a public demonstration of specially selected films, as well as cultural, educational and business programs.
The main program of the Film Festival consists of competitive and non-competitive Film Festival screening programs.
The film Festival is held annually by the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra (hereinafter referred to as the Autonomous Okrug).
The highest collective body of the Film Festival is the Organizing Committee of the Film Festival. The Film Festival is organized by the Department of Culture of the Autonomous Okrug. The powers of the Organizing Committee, the Organizer, the President, the Vice-President and the Executive Directorate are carried out in accordance with the decree of the Government of the Autonomous Okrug dated April 29, 2011 No. 139-p "On the International Debut Film Festival "Spirit of Fire".
2. Purpose and Objectives of the Festival
The film festival serves as a platform for screening films by up-and-coming and well-known directors, and is held to draw attention to debut films and discover new names.
The Film Festival sets its goals:
creating conditions for fostering a harmoniously developed personality, international cultural relations, cultural diversity, and familiarization of viewers with the best works of world cinema;
search for and competitive support of talented debutants in the field of cinematography;
promoting the development of creative industries and the integration of debut Russian cinema into the global cinematic process;
creation of intangible cultural heritage;
promotion of the Film Festival in the information space at the domestic, macroregional, national, and international levels;
promoting the development of entrepreneurial, cultural and tourism potential;
attracting mass audiences to modern cinemas.
3. Competition Programs
At least six full-length films, including at least one national film, that meet the following requirements, take part in the international (main) competition of the Film Festival:
The film should be the director's first or second feature film work in the field of feature films.;
Preference is given to paintings that have not previously been publicly shown on the territory of the Russian Federation.;
Preference is given to films in the DCP format in the original language with English subtitles, if the original language is not English.;
The film's participation in the international competition requires the presence of a director and/or an actor playing the main role. If the director and/or the actor-performer of the main role cannot come to the Film Festival, the Executive Directorate of the Film Festival reserves the right to include the film in the competition if it is presented by a member of the film crew of a leading creative profession, or by the director and/or the actor-performer of the main role remotely through their participation in the presentation and discussion The film is shown before and after the screening by means of a specially organized teleconference, video call and/or conference using applications or services specially designed and accessible to the audience and professional audience.
At least six works by directors in the field of full-length feature, documentary or animated films or TV series (at least 2 episodes) take part in the Russian Debuts competition. Preference is given to the first works. The display format is DCP.
No more than eighteen short feature films, up to 30 minutes in length, take part in the "Debut – Short Meter" competition.
At least six full-length films take part in the competition program for children and families watching "Your Cinema".
The film-in-progress competition program includes at least 6 projects that are the first or second work of directors in the field of feature films (animation, feature, documentary, experimental) and are in production. Projects should not have support from platforms and distribution companies. To participate in this program, one must show at least 3 minutes of footage or a trailer of similar timekeeping.
The competition programs of the XXV Film Festival include films that were completed no earlier than November 01, 2025.
It is planned to hold retrospective screenings, public lectures and master classes of the participants of the Film Festival.
The materials for the screening (film) can be transferred both via the Internet and on a physical medium (hard disk). The media containing the recording of the officially selected competitive film is returned to the owner.
The main events (including competitive, non-competitive, business, special, educational, cultural programs) of the Film Festival will be held in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk, and also, by decision of the Organizing Committee, they may be partially held in other cities of the Autonomous Okrug and online on the official website of the Film Festival, on the official pages of the Film Festival on social networks from 10 to March 14, 2027.
The visiting program "Your Cinema" will be held in the municipalities of the autonomous okrug from 08 to 10 March 2027.
The visiting program of the Echo of the XXV Spirit of Fire Festival will be held in Moscow (in March 2027).
4. Jury
The international jury consists of the Chair and members of the jury - famous masters of the world cinema art, evaluates films of the international competition program.
The Grand Russian Jury consists of Russian cinematographers, which necessarily includes a director, cinematographer, composer, and may also include actors, screenwriters, producers, and representatives of other cinematic professions, evaluates films of the Russian competition program.
The jury of the "Debut – short Meter" competition may consist of film critics, film critics, producers, directors or other representatives of cinematographic professions.
The jury of the Film-in-progress competition may consist of producers, directors, film critics, representatives of platforms, foundations, and distribution companies.
5. Prize Fund and Festival Nominations
Following the results of the Film Festival, the following prizes are awarded::
5.1. International competition:
5.1.1. The main prize Golden Taiga is for the best debut film, a money prize of one million four hundred twenty-eight thousand five hundred seventy-two rubles (including personal income tax of 30%);
5.1.2. Silver Taiga prize - for the debut film, a money prize of five hundred seventy-one thousand four hundred twenty-nine rubles (including personal income tax of 30%);
5.1.3. The Bronze Taiga prize is for the debut film, a money prize of two hundred eighty-five thousand seven hundred and fourteen rubles (including personal income tax of 30%);
5.1.4. The prize of the Roscongress Foundation, the Communication Partner of the Film Festival, to the director of the film participating in the international competition program "Soul of Russia. World Cinema" for the preservation of traditional spiritual values in the world, a cash prize of one million one hundred forty two thousand eight hundred fifty seven rubles (including personal income tax of 30%).
5.2. Competition of Russian debuts:
5.2.1. The audience award - "Flowers of Taiga Hope" is awarded based on the results of the audience vote, a money prize of one hundred seventy-two thousand four hundred and fourteen rubles (including personal income tax of 13%);
5.2.2. According to the decision of the grand Russian jury, the following prizes are awarded::
5.2.2.1. The Sergei Solovyiev Golden Taiga Prize for the best domestic debut film, a money prize of eight hundred four thousand five hundred and ninety-eight rubles (including personal income tax of 13%);
5.2.2.2. Alexander Abdulov Award for the Best Male Role in a Russian Debut Film;
5.2.2.3. Alexander Abdulov Award for the Best Female Role in a Russian Debut Film;
5.2.2.4. The prize "For the best cinematography named after P.T. Lebeshev." The P.T. Lebeshev Prize is provided by the Guild of Camerawork;
5.2.2.5. Silver Rose award to the debutant director for the best work with music in the film.
5.2.3. The prize of the General Partner of the Gazprom Neft Film Festival to the debutant director of the Russian competition program "For the Preservation of Cultural Traditions", a money prize in the amount of nine hundred nineteen thousand five hundred and forty rubles (including personal income tax of 13%);
5.3. The "Debut - short meter" competition:
5.3.1. The prize "Small Golden Taiga short meter";
5.3.2. The prize "Small silver taiga short meter".
5.4. The competition program "Your cinema":
5.4.1. The "Small Bronze Taiga" prize.
5.5. A special competition for the presentation of projects in the production of "Film-in-work" under the social investment program "Hometowns" of Gazprom Neft, a money prize of one million one hundred forty-nine thousand four hundred twenty-five rubles (including personal income tax of 13%).
5.6. Special Open Microfilm Competition:
5.6.1. The winner of the main nomination of the special microfilm competition is awarded souvenirs from the Little Bronze Taiga Film Festival;
5.6.2. According to the results of the online voting of the special microfilm competition, the Silver Brooch souvenir of the Film Festival is awarded to the winner.;
5.6.3. According to the results of the jury meeting, the Silver Brooch souvenir of the Film Festival will be awarded to the winner of the special children's nomination in the age category of 12-17 years of the special microfilm competition.;
5.6.4. According to the results of the online voting, the winner of the special children's nomination in the age category of 12-17 years of the special microfilm competition is awarded a souvenir product "Silver Brooch" of the Film Festival.
5.6.5. A special prize of the nomination of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO in the field of conservation of natural and cultural heritage in the framework of the microfilm competition is awarded as a souvenir.
5.7. Golden Taiga Award for contribution to the development of cinematography.
5.8. The prize of the President of the Film Festival is the Golden Taiga prize.
According to the results of the summing up of the Film Festival, the winner is awarded a money prize.
In connection with the receipt of income in monetary form by the winner, the Executive Directorate acts as a tax agent and transfers personal income tax from the amount of the money prize in full in accordance with the procedure provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation.
To receive a money prize, the winners of the Film Festival must provide information about their passport details (copies of passport pages), a copy of the INN, and bank details for transferring funds by March 30, 2027. The transfer of the money prize is carried out by wire transaction. Money prizes are transferred upon submission of the documents and information specified in the consent, which is Appendices 2 and 3 to these Regulations.
If the documents (information) mentioned above are not provided on time, or are provided in a form that does not allow determining their completeness and reliability (for example, they are not clear/ unreadable, with signs of technical interference, incomplete), the Executive Directorate of the Film Festival has the right, at its discretion, to recognize the winner's Prize. unclaimed and do not transfer funds as a Prize.
6. Festival Participants
The total number of Film Festival participants invited to participate in the main events in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk should not exceed 350 people, including members of the volunteer corps.
Nonresident participants of the Film Festival (film program participants (no more than 2 people representing the film debut), President, Vice President, members of the selection committee, interpreters, jury members and their escorts, honored guests and their escorts, support and organizational managers, media representatives, participants in business, educational and cultural programs, participants Those invited to participate in the main events in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk are accommodated in the city's hotels and provided with meals during the main events of the Film Festival.
The participants of the Film Festival are provided with a transfer to the venue of the Film Festival, including air transportation.
In the case of an unfavorable epidemiological situation, strengthening measures that prevent the occurrence and spread of diseases, 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 conducting online screenings of films, broadcasts of events, discussions, press conferences, master classes, business and the cultural program of the Film Festival on the Internet.
7. Festival Venues
Official venues of the Khanty-Mansiysk Film Festival:
- large auditorium, press room, transformer hall, organ hall, Amadeus Concert and Theater Center "Ugra-Classic", 22 Mira St.;
- large and small auditoriums of the Boarding College Art Center for Gifted Children of the North, 1 Piskunov St.;
- branch of the National center "Russia", 1 Georgy Velichko St.;
8. Application Submissions
Applications for films to participate in the Film Festival for selection in the competition programs are accepted from October 01, 2026 to January 22, 2027 inclusive (23.59 Moscow time).
The final decision of the Selection Committee of the Film Festival is made no later than February 12, 2027.
9. Opening and Closing Ceremonies
The opening ceremony of the Film Festival will take place on March 11, 2027 in the large auditorium of the autonomous institution of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra, the Ugra-Classic Concert and Theatre Centre, with online broadcasts available for viewing on the Internet.
The closing ceremony of the Film Festival will take place on March 14, 2027 in the large auditorium of the autonomous institution of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra, the Ugra-Classic Concert and Theatre Centre with online broadcasts available for viewing on the Internet.
10. Information support
On the eve of the Film Festival, the Executive Directorate conducts:
- presentation of the Film Festival programs and advertising campaigns in Khanty-Mansiysk;
- a press conference of the organizers and partners of the Film Festival in Moscow in February - March 2027;
- information and advertising campaigns to promote the events of the Film Festival.
The events of the Film Festival are covered in the media, on the official website of the Film Festival. https://ugra.world /, on the websites of the Organizer and the main executers of the Film Festival. Mass media journalists are accredited for Film Festival events.
11. Final Provisions
These Regulations are valid from the date of its approval by the Executive Directorate.