The President congratulated festival participants on the 50th anniversary of this major film forum. The message reads, “Over the fifty years of its existence, this festival has developed its own traditions and a unique atmosphere of unconstrained creativity. It has gained the honour of being regarded as one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. It is an event awaited not only by professionals, but by its broad audience as well. The festival brings together renowned celebrities, talented young professionals, respected critics and modern cinema connoisseurs. But most importantly, the Moscow International Film Festival has always served and continues to serve the high ideals of cross-cultural enrichment and bringing different peoples closer together. I am certain that this year's festival, which offers an interesting and diverse range of competing films, will help cinematographers from different countries to better acquaint themselves and share their experiences. It will also introduce us to new names in cinema and provide the public with many happy encounters and unforgettable impressions.”
Previous MIFF prize winners in its fifty-year history have included Federico Fellini, Akira Kurosawa, Sergei Bondarchuk, Anjei Vaida, and many other great artists in world cinema.