The film by a graduate of Alexander Sokurov received the main prize of the Stalker festival

The film “Knots” by Oleg Khamokov, a graduate of A. N. Sokurov’s directing workshop at the Kabardino-Balkarian State University. Kh. M. Berbekova, was recognized as the best feature film at the XXIX International Film Festival about Human Rights “Stalker”.

The 29th festival, organized by the Russian Film Directors Guild with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, was held from December 10 to 15 in Moscow.

This year’s program was full of difficult pictures that raise the most important feelings now — compassion, support, camaraderie and care. In our difficult times, it is extremely important to cultivate these values,
– noted the president of the Stalker film festival, film director, laureate of two State Prizes of the Russian Federation, president of the Guild of Film Directors of Russia Nikolai Lebedev.

During the six days of the film festival in the Central House of Cinematographers and the Cultural Center named after. A.P. Chekhov’s 63 films were shown. The competition program includes 62 films, of which: 13 full-length, 17 short feature films, 10 animated and 22 documentaries. One short fiction film was included in the out-of-competition program.

The awards ceremony for the winners of the film festival took place on December 15 in the Great Hall of the Central House of Cinematographers. The feature film jury, which, according to tradition, included the winners of the festival of previous years, film directors Valery Akhadov, Alexey Muradov, Larisa Sadilova, Andrey Osipov, presented prizes and diplomas to the winners of the film festival.

The Stalker prize for the best feature film was awarded to director Oleg Khamokov for his film Knots. Receiving the award, Oleg first of all thanked his master Alexander Sokurov and said that he was very happy.

Filmed in the Kabardian language, the film was understandable and accepted by the viewer. It is based on the local epic and traditions of the Caucasus, but if you look deeper, you can see some universal archetypes that will be understandable in principle to any person on earth. Beautiful landscapes, an interesting sound solution — everything works to create a complete picture, which the viewer ultimately accepts so enthusiastically and unconditionally.

The KBSU team congratulates Oleg Khamokov and his entire creative team on their success and wishes him, as a director, inexhaustible inspiration and the birth of many more creative films.