Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Gazprom – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
As part of the business program of the 24th International Debut Film Festival "Spirit of Fire," a plenary session was held entitled "Children's and Family Content as a National Priority. The Role of Cinema in Shaping Values and the Future Generation." The festival's thematic focus in 2026 is "Children in Cinema."
The discussion was attended by the Governor of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra Ruslan Kukharuk; President of the International Debut Film Festival "Spirit of Fire" Emir Kusturica; Member of the Management Board of Gazprom Neft Alexander Dybal; Senior Vice President – Director of External Relations of PSB Vera Podguzova; Deputy General Director of Gazprom-Media Holding Yulia Golubeva; General Producer of 1-2-3 Production Artem Mikhalkovya; General Producer of Okko, President of the International Festival of Children's and Family Film and Animation "Bear Cub" Gavriil Gordeyev (online); director, screenwriter Alexey German; Chairman of the Board of Directors of JSC Film Studio "Soyuzmultfilm", General Director of JSC "Children's and Youth Film Studio named after M. Gorky" Yuliana Slashcheva; Director of the Beijing International Children's Film Festival Li Ge (China); Vice President of the BRICS Educational Film and Media Association Syed Sultan Ahmed, online (India); Chief Director of the Film Authority Birol Guven (Türkiye).
The focus is on the role of children's and family content as a national priority, the importance of film and animation in shaping the values and worldview of the younger generation, and the search for new artistic forms and sustainable industrial models in the children's and family film segment.
"Today, we are witnessing fundamental changes in the approach to developing children's and family content. State policy in this area has undergone a significant evolution, transforming from a simple area of focus into a strategic priority. This is especially important for Yugra, where one in nine families has many children, meaning issues of children's upbringing and cultural development directly impact the region's future."
Ruslan Kukharuk, Governor of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra
In their presentations, the speakers discussed the challenges facing contemporary cinema, the formats and genres that audiences desire, the interest of global film markets in local content, the potential for international co-production, the impact of technological trends, and other issues that will shape the development of the film industry in the coming decades.
"The world has changed dramatically today, and competition for audience attention has become much more intense. Therefore, it's especially important to create a large number of good films—honest, powerful stories that can speak to people about values and meanings. Commercial success doesn't always equate to true quality, but a truly good film always remains in the viewer's heart and becomes part of the culture."
Emir Kusturica, President of the International Debut Film Festival "Spirit of Fire"
The Spirit of Fire festival has become a true cultural bridge, opening the way for Russian filmmakers to the BRICS markets. Today, BRICS represents half the planet's population and almost a third of global GDP. These are priority film markets for promoting Russian cinema and animation.
"The topic of 'Children in Cinema' is incredibly important. What our children watch today largely determines how they will view the world tomorrow. Cinema, to a large extent, lays the foundation for generations' worldviews. It gives people shared emotions, values, and role models."
Alexander Dybal, Member of the Management Board of Gazprom Neft
The festival's business program offers Russian filmmakers the opportunity to find co-production partners, establish creative exports, and propose scripts and stories that unite audiences around the world based on cultural consonance and shared values. In support of this value platform, the Roscongress Foundation is implementing the "Soul of Russia" project. This large-scale humanitarian initiative has already united 18 Russian regions, 10 countries, and over 50,000 participants. At this year's Spirit of Fire, the Roscongress Foundation will present a special award for the second consecutive year for participants in the international program: the "Soul of Russia. World Cinema" prize. It will be presented to the creator of a debut film for their contribution to the preservation of traditional spiritual values around the world.
"There's a lot of high-quality family-friendly content being made today, but there's a dearth of original projects and new characters. Of course, fairy tales and remakes are a significant and commercially successful part of the film industry, and they should continue to be made, but it's important to maintain a balance. If there aren't enough new stories and characters, we risk audience fatigue and a loss of interest in new releases overall. We recognize this challenge and are keeping it in focus. And I have no doubt that the films featured in this 24th Spirit of Fire festival will surprise us in this regard."
Yulia Golubeva, Deputy General Director of Gazprom-Media Holding
The Spirit of Fire International Film Festival has been held in Yugra since 2002 with the support of the regional government. The festival is Russia's largest international platform for emerging filmmakers. Gazprom Neft has supported Spirit of Fire for 19 years. The company co-organizes the festival's cultural and educational program and awards the best Russian film in the "For the Preservation of Cultural Traditions" category.
Gazprom-Media Holding is the main media partner of the film festival.
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