The Golden Unicorn Awards & Russian Film Week

The Golden Unicorn Awards, coinciding with the Russian Film Week, is a film competition, launched in the UK in 2016, and have become annual since. By showcasing the most exciting and critically acclaimed Russian films and international films about Russia from the preceding 18 months, the awards and panorama week aims to inform and educate viewers about the richness, depth and variety of contemporary Russian culture and Russian-themed filmmaking, to reach out to audiences above and beyond cultural, social or political barriers. The festival screens both Russian and co-produced feature films, as well as shorts, documentary and animated films. Alongside film screenings the programme includes a number of satellite events, such as: master-classes by award-winning filmmakers, talks, round table discussions, exhibitions and other entertainment events for filmmakers, distributors and audiences from both Russia and Europe. There is also a number of industry events, designed for professionals from both Russia and the UK to network and foster future collaboration, discuss projects, discover new funding sources, enjoy the benefits of learning from and working with a different culture. Over 100 of Russia’s most talented directors, producers and actors attend the festival to take part in workshops, Q&As and other events. International film star Olga Kurylenko made a guest appearance and subsequently became a Jury member. BFI, British Council, Russian Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Culture are partners now. The festival culminates in the Golden Unicorn Awards ceremony designed to recognise excellence in 12 nominations, including a nomination for the Best Foreign Film About Russia or Set in Russia and a Prize for the Promotion of Russian Culture Abroad – as a reflection of the festival’s cross-cultural agenda. The reason for the name also stems from the festival’s cross-cultural mission: the unicorn is a mythical creature that only appears to the chosen ones and it is found both in Russian and British folklore dating back centuries. The awards ceremony is held in the format of a Charity Gala - in 2016 it supported the Podari Zhizn/Gift of Life UK foundation; in 2017 – the WWF Save the Amur Tiger Project, and from 2018 - The Naked Heart Foundation.