On the eve of Russian Animation Day, film critics presented “White Elephants”

Filmmakers insisted and supported – mini-ceremonies will be held in different cities

On the eve of Russian Animation Day, which is celebrated on April 8, an independent film award for film experts and film critics, “White Elephant,” was presented. For now only a select few. Everything went according to an unexpected scenario. The first winners of the “Elephants” were found at the SHAR School-Studio and the Yeltsin Center.

Based on the results of 2023, no one was going to solemnly present awards or even give an expert assessment. A year ago, the expert council of the White Elephant Prize decided that this was not the best time for this. And there was no money to order figurines. But in the end they made their choice, determined the best filmmakers and the best films, but limited themselves to announcing the list of laureates. However, some studios and producers, whose films received recognition, took the initiative – they contributed part of the necessary money to the general treasury. The award is prestigious, and the White Elephant statuette will not be out of place on the awards shelf.

More than 60 people took part in the voting – not only members of the expert council, but also young film critics representing various publications. It was they who collected the missing amount necessary for the production of “White Elephants”, whose image was once invented by animated film director Ivan Maksimov, and the figurines are made by a master from Gus-Khrustalny. Now the awards find their laureates in different cities. The first figurines were presented at the Yeltsin Center and the SHAR School-Studio.

“White Elephant” for the best animated film was awarded to “Kharms” by Svetlana Andrianova. It was presented to the winner of film criticism by Nina Romodanovskaya and Victor Matizen at the SHAR School-Studio, celebrating its 30th anniversary. In honor of the anniversary, a presentation of new projects was held there. So everything came together in the best possible way. “Kharms” was also created on “SHAR”.

A little earlier in Yekaterinburg at the Yeltsin Center, before the screening of the documentary “Suggested Circumstances,” two more awards were presented. “White Elephant” for the best non-fiction film, and this is “Suggested Circumstances” by Nikita Efimov about Viktor Ryzhakov, who worked for a short time at the Sovremennik Theater after the death of Galina Volchek, was awarded to director Marina Razbezhkina. Nikita Efimov studied at her film school. Razbezhkinites often commission such works, especially from theaters, in the hope of a new look at familiar things, and then they do not always accept the vision of young directors. But in the workshop they adhere to a firm position – we shoot as we see, without adapting to the requirements of the “customer”.

That same evening, the award also found another hero – production designer Alexey Maksimov, who has been working with Alexey Fedorchenko for many years. Film critics recognized his work as the best in the category “Best Artist” – the film “New Berlin” by Alexei Fedorchenko, which completed the trilogy in the mockumentary genre. Not only the laureate came to the impromptu ceremony, but also his associates – director and producer Alexey Fedorchenko, producer of the film Dmitry Vorobyov.

The Nika film award is now awarded in the same way, the leadership of which has also abandoned ceremonial events in recent years. Its founding father, Yuli Gusman, and the president of the film award, Andrei Konchalovsky, managed to present the award for “Honor and Dignity” to Alexander Shirvindt on July 5, 2023. A small ceremony took place on stage at the Satire Theater after the laureate played the play “Where are we?!…”. The principle is this: where they found the hero, be it filming or a performance, they gave it there. And this is much brighter than hours-long and crowded ceremonies.