Students of Penza State University visited the XV International Film Festival "Male Role" named after Ivan Mozzhukhin. On the closing day of the festival, the Honorary Prize of PSU was awarded for the first time. It went to the film "Insane".

On December 1, Penza Cinema and Concert Hall hosted the closing ceremony of the 15th Ivan Mozzhukhin "Male Role" Film Festival. Over the course of five festival days, residents of Penza, Vadinsk, Gorodishche, Nizhny and Verkhny Lomov were able to see the best Russian feature, documentary and animated films released over the past two years.

Students from Penza State University were among the audience at the film festival. The film "Insane" by director Ilya Malanin attracted special attention from students from the People's Republic of China. The filming of the project took place both in Russia and China. The film became the first foreign film project shot in China after the end of the pandemic.

According to the plot of the film (with the participation of actors Aleksandr Yatsenko, Natalia Kudryashova, Elisei Svezhentsev, Nadezhda Markina and others), a Russian pianist, played by Illarion Marov, comes to the prestigious Chopin Competition in Shanghai and there not only performs in the concert hall, but also gets acquainted with Chinese culture, and also becomes attracted to a local girl (Xu Shiyue), who is responsible for receiving delegations at the competition.

Students from China from the Department of Music and Methods of Teaching Music, Zhan Yi and Wang Junlong, even had the opportunity to present the PSU Honorary Prize "For achievements in cinematography, the embodiment of moral guidelines and contribution to international cultural cooperation." Our university came up with such an initiative this year.
The first winner of the prize was the opening film of the festival, "Insane". The prize was accepted by the actor who played the talented pianist who has been struggling with a congenital disorder since childhood, Illarion Marov. Incidentally, Illarion was born and took his first steps as an actor in Penza.

Natalia Tolkacheva, Head of the Information Policy and Public Relations Department, emphasized during the award ceremony:

"Festivals like "Male Role" are important first and foremost for the younger generation. Chinese students study music in Penza. They also study Russian, but they know better than anyone that the language of art, culture and music knows no bounds."

Student Zhan Yi posted the following on her WeChat page:

"I was honored to attend the award ceremony for the Russian-Chinese film “Insane”. When I was told the news, I did not expect that the award would be given to the actor who played the lead role in the film. This is the first time I have given an award to a film actor. I am very happy!"

Wang Junlong said:

"This is the first time we have seen a film made jointly by China and Russia. This is not only a film, but also, one might say, a cultural exchange between the countries. I believe that this film is just the beginning, and there will be more and more of them. The creation of film and television works will contribute to a deeper cultural and educational exchange between China and Russia. Thanks to the film, we had the opportunity to present an award to the main character of the film. Participation in this event made me feel the importance and love with which Russian society treats the development of the film industry. I sincerely congratulate Russia and China on their growing cooperation in the field of art!"

Also, PSU students were able to see the feature film "9 Seconds" on the big screen on the closing day of the festival - one of the most vivid and emotional films of this year. The plot of the film is based on real events and tells the viewers about the feat of Aldar Tsydenzhapov, who on September 24, 2010, having shown exceptional courage, saved the crew of the destroyer "Bystry" at the cost of his own life. After the screening, the students gathered to discuss the film and exchange impressions.

Vladimir Feoktistov, Director of the PSU Multidisciplinary College, shared his opinion on the participation of students in this event:

"We are proud that our students have the opportunity to take part in such large-scale cultural events. The "Male Role" film festival not only introduces young people to current cinematographic works, but also helps to form a deep understanding of those moral values that play a key role in the life of every person. Participation in such an event broadens the horizons of students, allows them to see the importance of art as a means of expressing ideas and feelings, and also introduces them to real historical events that should be preserved in memory and passed on to future generations. We are confident that for our students this experience will become a valuable stage on the path of their professional and personal development!"