Russian director triumphs at Abu-Dhabi film festival

Published 19 October, 2009, 18:01

Edited 12 November, 2009, 07:51

The Russian film “Hipsters” by director Valery Todorovsky has won the main prize – the Black Pearl – of the Third Middle East International Film Festival, which is coming to an end in Abu-Dhabi.

The closing ceremony for the third annual MEIFF was held at the Emirates Palace Hotel on Saturday evening. The stylish Russian musical film "Hipsters" which received the Black Pearl Award for the Best Narrative Film is a story about Soviet-era youth protesting against the totalitarian regime. In the film they listen to American music and wear expressive “imported” bright costumes, while their faithful Soviet comrades are dressed modestly in complete uniformity.

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Screenshot of Hipsters

The movie was named the best among 17 other films competing in the Best Narrative Feature Film nomination. A total of 128 films were screened at the festival. Seventeen Narrative Features, 14 Documentary Features, 25 Short Films, and 10 Student Shorts all competed for Black Pearl Awards.

“Hipsters” received wowed the international jury headed by Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami. The jury especially noted the “brightly shown musical rampage and the affected emotions of the Russian teenagers of the 1950s.”

Along with the Russian movie, films from the US, France, China, Australia, Mexico, Egypt, Syria, Turkey and other Near-Eastern countries were up for consideration by the jury.

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