So polar people

Nikita Mikhalkov accused Natalya Timakov of Russophobia and left the Board of Trustees of the Film Foundation. Colleagues in bewilderment

On August 23, director Nikita Mikhalkov at a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Film Foundation said that he was leaving his composition because of the disagreement with the press secretary of the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Natalya Timakova: he accused her of Byzantium and Latent Russophobia. Timakov has been part of the Council since April; But for the first time Mikhalkov was present at a meeting with her participation in August. "Medusa" tells what happened in the Film Fund - and what the participants of the events and other members of the Board of Trustees are talking about this.

Nikita Mikhalkov announced that he was leaving the Board of Trustees of the Film Fund, at a meeting of the Council on August 23. According to Vedomosti, the director explained that “the new composition of the Council is Byzantium”, indicating that after the appearance of Natalia Timakova (she works as a press secretary of the Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev), decisions in it are made through “telephone law”. Mikhalkov also suspected Timakov of irresponsibility and “latent Russophobia”, explaining that with its help, “destructive processes” are in the fund. He remembered his colleague on the advice of the defense of the Yeltsin Center and put it in the appearance of a project based on the script of Vladimir Vysotsky, which was now in production, “Vienna Vienna”, without specifying, however, the essence of his claims.

Timakova, in response, stated that she presents the interests of the government in the Council, and “the Board of Trustees has very open procedures,” and reproached the director of Byzantium.

Mikhalkov’s statement was a surprise for those gathered. According to the journalist of Vedomosti Ksenia Bolsk, after the director’s speech, the Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, who was present at the meeting, ordered the press to remove the press from the hall, “in order to calmly discuss everything,” but Timakova wrote to Bolska, in which she asked the media representatives to stay.

Other members of the Board of Trustees told Medusa that they did not know what is the reason for Mikhalkov’s departure. “I personally do not really understand why such a cheese is,” said the general director of Mosfilm Karen Shakhnazarov. - Of course, Mikhalkov’s participation was useful for the fund. On the other hand, this is normal when a person does not want to work for his personal reasons. The main thing is that those who remained in the fund are creative people. ” In total in the Council of 16 members; Ten of them are officials.

“I just can’t understand what caused this,” added another member of the council, director Alexei Popogrebsky. - Yesterday and today I am bewildered about this. Maybe Mikhalkov and Timakova had something in the past. Here is a very friendly and comfortable environment for Nikita Sergeyevich. It is not yet clear what the consequences will be. ”

State Duma deputy and director Stanislav Govorukhin, also entering the Council, told Federal Press that Mikhalkov’s departure was “useful bell”. He said that the fund could “work better and more meticulous, so there is partly Mikhalkov’s right”, and added: “It would not prevent us from hanging our ass.”

Mikhalkov was not present at any of the meetings of the Council after Timakov entered him. The composition of the council was updated in April when Timakov, Channel Channel Civil Channel Konstantin Ernst and First Deputy Director General of VGTRK Anton Zlatopol, entered there. The fact that Mikhalkov did not attend meetings, Timakova herself said on August 23; Alexei Popogrebsky confirmed Medusa this information.

“There have never been a hundred percent appearance at the council meetings. Always from 16 people came from eight to twelve, ”said Popogrebsky. - It has already managed to go through three meetings, but Mikhalkov was not on any of them. Therefore, it is difficult to imagine what it is he who reproaches Timakova. ”

Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky on August 24 stated that Mikhalkov’s act forces to think “about the meaning and goals of our work, about the need to strengthen the state support system and introduce real state proprietism in relation to our film industry.” The official added that he knows the character of Mikhalkov and does not think that his decision could be emotional or unjustified.

The press secretary of Mikhalkov Evgeny Dorofeeva informed Medusa that the director "categorically does not want to clarify anything." “He talks about different worldview positions in himself and Timakova,” Dorofeeva explained. - This applies to how the fund should work, and political issues and issues of the development of society. They are so polar people that they will not find points of contact on any issues. ” According to Dorofeeva, Mikhalkov believes that “everyone should do their own business”: “If you are a politician and you are a regulator, then this is strange when you appear in the Film Fund, although [cinema] you [actually] do not engage in. It's like an ordinary human story when people simply do not fit each other. ” The spokeswoman also said that “Mikhalkov does not make emotional decisions” and “slowly and systematically” went to his act.

Svetlana Brilliantova, spokeswoman for the director of the Film Film Anton Malyshev, told Medusa that they would not comment on what had happened there: "Mikhalkov and Timakov themselves yesterday they told everything in detail and discussed everything they could." Timakova also said that on August 23 she said about Mikhalkov "everything she could."

The Board of Trustees of the Film Fund, in particular, is engaged in the distribution of money that the state allocates to support films ; In 2016, the fund's volume amounted to 5.7 billion rubles. In addition to Mikhalkov’s statement at a meeting of the Fund on August 23, it was decided to introduce a bill to the government, which orders to take 5 million rubles from the distributors for each foreign film that they show in Russia.

Alexander Gorbachev , Alexandra Sivtsova