The documentary film “Devotion” directed by Andrey Andreev, telling about the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, became a laureate of the International Festival “Radonezh” (+VIDEO)

From January 20 to 23, 2024, in Moscow, at the Central House of Cinematographers of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, the XXVIII International Festival of Films and Television Programs “Radonezh” was held.

The Radonezh Festival is part of the official program of the XXXII International Christmas Readings and precedes it.

The film festival brought together about 300 film and television companies from all over Russia, near and far abroad. This year, 182 films were sent to the jury, of which: 103 documentaries, four full-length feature films, 37 short feature films and 15 animated films, as well as 25 television programs. The organizers of the program note that more than ever, many films were presented by countries near and far abroad: Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Great Britain, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, USA, Estonia.

The documentary film “Devotion”, directed by Andrei Andreev, telling about the life and work of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, opened the film festival program and received a laureate diploma in the “Special Jury Prize” nomination.

The creator of the film, Andrey Andreev, is a talented director, a famous documentarian, winner of the Milan Film Festival, author of the works “Shepherds”, “People’s Doctor”, “Patriarchal Choir” and others. Work on the film was carried out with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan with the support and participation of the Apostle public foundation, headed by President Georgy Gennadievich Sosnovsky. The film crew, which included Kazakh and foreign specialists, the administration of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary and employees of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, worked for several months in 2023 in Astana, Alma-Ata and Karaganda, Alma-Ata, Akmola and Karaganda regions.

The film tells about the spiritual, educational, social, charitable and peacemaking activities of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, talks about interfaith dialogue and the relationship of the Church with the state and society. The film especially touches on the topic of political repression of the twentieth century and testifies to the help of the Kazakh people to innocent people who found themselves in exile and camps on the territory of the Republic. Interviews with hierarchs and clergy, prominent public figures of Kazakhstan and ordinary citizens of the country alternate with demonstrations of historical and cultural attractions, unique views of Kazakhstan’s nature.

In the near future, the film “Devotion”, which became a laureate of the Radonezh festival, will be able to be seen by the people of Kazakhstan. On the initiative and with the support of the Apostle Foundation, the film will be shown in cinemas in our country.

The Radonezh Festival is a recognized world leader in the field of religious, spiritual and moral documentaries. The festival is held with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' in Moscow at the Cinema House of the Union of Cinematographers of the Russian Federation with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Communications and Mass Communications, the Federal Agency for Cinematography, the Moscow Government, the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, the Synodal Information Department, the Synodal Department for Relations between Church and Society, Patriarchal Council for Culture, Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. The Radonezh festival has been held regularly since 1995. Traditionally, about 200 state and non-state film and television and radio companies from all over the world take part in it.