Films by SPUFT alumni will be shown at the Grenzland-Filmtage Selb International Film Festival

The 47th Grenzland-Filmtage Selb International Film Festival will be held in Selb (Germany) on April, 4-7. The work of Dilshod Avazov (S. Ovcharov’s workshop, the class of 2023) short feature film Niso as well as We mourn directed by Elizaveta Verkhozina (A. Antonov’s class, the class of 2022) will be presented during the main competition stage.

The short feature film Niso by Dilshod Avazov is about a girl named Niso, who leaves Tajikistan and comes to Russia to find her father, who left her when she was a child. Niso, who lost the meaning of life, hopes to find it again after meeting her father, but the path she chooses, full of unexpected twists and turns, will force her to face her fears.

The film has already been shortlisted for the International Charity Festival Radiant Angel and took part in the XXIII International Student Film Festival PiterKiT.

We mourn by Elizabeth Verkhozina is a tragicomedy about an elderly widow that unexpectedly meets a mistress of her spouse at his grave. The conflict between the women happens, and each of them tries to prove that she was the main woman in the life of the deceased. An arrogant and elegant professor of zoology Inessa looks with contempt at the memories of a simple-minded and straightforward housewife Shura, and Shura in turn cannot believe that her life was devoted to a man who deceived her. The contrast of characters and the absurdity of the struggle create a field for comedy, and true experiences of characters, their loneliness and the pain of loss lead the story to a dramatic and touching finale.

The film took part in the Moscow International Short Shot Fest and won two prizes for Best Director and Best Actress at the Kinostart International Short Film Festival.

Alexei Snezhko, Deputy Head of the Department of Film and Television Production at SPUFT, shared his opinion on the participation in the Grenzland-Filmtage Selb International Film Festival: 

"This is a festival of a high level, and participation is prestigious for the University. First of all, the Festival is being held for the 47th time, and secondly, it is an international demonstration of our works not in the category of student films, but in the Short Film category. In addition, the Festival will feature many discussions, debates, and workshops aimed at supporting young authors".