The message reads, in part:
“You are always in the thick of our country’s public and cultural life, are full of new ideas and plans, ready to take up the boldest creative projects, and always with success. I am sure that the main secret of your professional achievements is your great and generous talent, truly inexhaustible energy, hard work, and, of course, your genuine efforts and desire to preserve the wonderful traditions of Russian culture.”
Nikita Mikhalkov is a Soviet and Russian film director, actor, screenplay writer and producer. He won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival (1991), an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film (1995), and the Cannes Film Festival’s Grand Prix (1994).