"Stalker" to protect the individual

The XX International Film Festival of Human Rights has opened in the House of Cinema

The stalker festival has its own face and traditions. It does not have glamority and pompinating inherent in other large Russian film festivals. "Stalker" emphasized democratic. Even the entrance to his events is free. Along with the shows of game and documentary films, there is a discussion of acute problems directly related to the fundamental human rights. Yes, and the festival opens every time a day of adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, December 10.

In the lobby of the house of filmmakers, they usually arrange an exhibition. If last year it was dedicated to films banned in the USSR, then in this - to journalists who died in hot spots. But the main thing is still a movie, emphasizes the president of the festival, director Marlene Khutsiev :

-From others, the festival is distinguished by some very interested atmosphere, an interested audience. I tried to translate the human rights criterion all the time to ensure that the main quality was still the main thing. So that the picture does not fall into the festival only because it is simply thematically suitable, but at the same time - the picture is bad.

When I go to the microphone at the time of the opening of the festival and see this hall, it becomes easier for me to live

And I tried to somehow expand the theme, get away from the purely political criteria for this festival to wider. Personality protection, its rights apply not only to some political aspects, but also to environmental problems, for example. A person should breathe clean air, drink clean water and so on. In any case, I made some efforts so that the feature of the film, quality and talent were also taken into account.

- And managed to direct the festival towards artistry?

-In my opinion, I succeeded. Still, we have interesting work.

- The public "Stalker" from other festivals, more, maybe funny and festive, is very different?

- You know, I'm not a festival person, so I am not at festivals. But here I can say that the audience is wonderful, alive. When I go to the microphone at the time of the opening of the festival and see this hall, it becomes easier for me to live, ”admits Marlen Khutsiev .

This year, the opening film of the film festival is "White Nights of the Postman Alexei Tryapitsyn" directed by Andrei Konchalovsky. But even before the show, the ceremony of presenting special awards called "Stalker" for human rights will be held. As the head of the press center of the festival Alexander Ivanov emphasizes, the winners in this nomination are not filmmakers: they are not:

- By tradition, these special prizes are awarded to the heroes of documentaries, which were shown in the Stalker program last year. That is, the jury members along that they choose the winning film, still choose heroes. These are documentary paintings, so these are real people, and they become winners of the next festival.

- Can you name the names of these people?

- I can, but with one reservation. This year it turns out that two heroes are the heroes of documentary films, and the film has not yet been shot about one of our winner, but I think it's still ahead. This is Julia Dyakova , a blind singer. In November of this year, she represented Russia in the final of the international festival dedicated to the work of Anna Herman, "we are an echo of each other," he took place in Warsaw. In general, she also graduated from the philological faculty of Moscow State University named after Lomonosov, and this year she entered the Institute of Contemporary Art, at the faculty of pop-jazz vocals. You understand that such a girl ... You can only be glad that she does not give up and, despite the fact that she has such a disease, lives an active life. She says that her life is her motto: "Difficulties are the right way to become stronger." Here Julia will receive a prize "Stalker" for human rights.

The jury members along that they choose a winning film, still choose heroes

The second medalist is Roman Zagoveev, the hero of the documentary "after the war". The directors of this picture are Evgeny Golynkin and Veronika Solovyova . Roman is also a man with a difficult fate. 13 years ago, on the eve of demobilization, during the Second Chechen War, he was 19 years old, he received a mortal wound in the head, miraculously survived and has since been in a continuous struggle with a physical ailment, his own weakness and despair, trying to learn everything again. And our third medalist is Evgeny Maleinkin , the hero of the documentary "Drugs Diary", the director of this picture is Svetlana Stasenko. Evgeny Malekin is a rather famous personality, they talked about him and wrote. In 2005, he came to the City without drugs and created his organization "Sober City", which was engaged in the promotion of a sober lifestyle and the detection of toxic products in the alcohol market in Yekaterinburg. Then he became the vice-president of the city without drugs, worked a lot with such dysfunctional people, with the rehabilitants of the fund and helped a lot, says Alexandra Ivanova .

The festival is also an occasion to talk about complex topics that relate to the rights of different people and different rights

The names of the winners in all other nominations will become known by the end of the festival. Of course, the jury will evaluate films as works of cinematic art. However, says the member of the Presidential Council of Stalker, human rights activist Vyacheslav Bakhmin , the other is significant - unique - the role of this is not the largest and with very modest financing of the festival:

- Our festival is also an occasion to talk about complex topics that concern the rights of different people and different rights. And the points of view on certain rights can also be different. There are a lot of problems in Russia. The problem of refugees and migrants is still very acute. In connection with the development of the latest events, we received a huge stream of people who left their country and fleeing the war.

- Do you mean Ukraine?

- Yes, I mean Ukraine. There are also acute problems of prisoners, problems of child rights, especially in our official institutions.

-Did any new challenges appear for human rights defenders?

- We have enough calls! Basically, they proceed from politics within the country. There are a lot of legislative initiatives that are aimed at limiting the work of mainly human rights organizations. And these initiatives do not run out. Probably, they want to make any urgent issues-the issues of criticism of power, the issues of current policy would be outside the agenda of the non-profit sector and human rights organizations. This threat is, and it is quite significant.

- In this case, is the human rights festival "Stalker" support for human rights activists?

- Basically, the task of the festival is not so much to support human rights activists. This is rather an educational festival. The festival, which tells the wide viewer about the problems of human rights and says that these problems concern everyone. That each person can to some extent encounter a violation of his rights. And that in general, the topic of human rights permeates the whole life of people. Such an educational function seems to me more important and serious. In principle, the stalker cannot protect the human rights organizations. He does not have such tools, ”says human rights activist Vyacheslav Bakhmin .