“World Champion” is truly an amazing phenomenon: to make a nearly three-hour film about chess in such a way that it not only doesn’t get boring, but quite the contrary! – the tension grew with each scene, it seems impossible. However, the public accepted the film, and experts from the Russian National Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences expressed their opinion. In addition, the work of Alexei Sidorov was highlighted by them in several nominations at once: Ivan Yankovsky, who played Anatoly Karpov, took the statuette for the best male role in the cinema; the composer Artem Vasiliev received the Golden Eagle for the soundtrack and Mikhail Milashin for the camera work; and indeed, Alexei Sidorov himself was recognized as the best director.
– Thanks to the academicians for being able to see the main message of our film behind all the tinsel – a message about love for the Motherland and about the love of father and son. Both in the literal and in the spiritual sense as well, because everyone on our life path is inspired by the image of God and tries, like children, to go to Him, – said the director upon receiving the award.
To congratulate the winners, the international grandmaster, the same “world champion” Anatoly Karpov, came on stage:
– It’s even hard for me to imagine that a movie about chess won, and this movie is also about the events of 45 years ago! But I am sure that such films will not only increase interest in chess in our country, but also improve our position in this sport in the world. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, I honestly want to see it.
Ivan Yankovsky, who played the legendary chess player, said that this role was one of the most difficult for him – the director did not see him as a hero. He then he said: “I don’t like you. You are not Karpov.”
– I say: “What are we going to do, Lesh?” Him: “I don’t know.” This happened to me for the first time. I cried, felt bitter and hurt. The only thing left was to sit and move the pieces on the board, trying to understand my place now in the profession and in life in general. Alexey Sidorov saw this state of mine and said: “This is character!” And little by little everything was taking shape, ”recalled the actor.
There was also an innovation this year: the “Best Actor/Actress in an Online Series” nomination. The best female work was the role of Anna Mikhalkova in the series “Alice Can’t Wait”, and the male – Nikita Efremov in the series “Patient Zero”. Among the online series, the victory went to Timur Alpatov’s “Artist”.
In television projects, the roles of Yulia Khlynina (TV series “Elizaveta”) and Yevgeny Stychkin (TV series “Alibi” is the first among TV series) were appreciated and, perhaps, the nomination “Best supporting actor”. to be the most stellar, the experts had to choose between Andrey Merzlikin (“First Oscar”), Vladimir Vdovichenkov (“World Champion”) and Yevgeny Mironov (“Heart of Parma”).
– In this picture I play not just a priest, but a man canonized as a saint, – said, accepting the statuette, Yevgeny Mironov. – I somehow easily accepted this role, the novel is amazing! And when we were shooting, and this is near Perm, it’s very cold, I had to climb the scaffolding to the temple. And I pulled my back, so much so that something happened to my spine, they began to remove my arm. Nothing helped. So I thought, probably, for me this is because of the arrogance of the actor. And as soon as I understood this, the pain began to disappear. They must have forgiven him from above.
The best female roles, by the way, went to the “Healthy Man” – prizes were awarded to Irina Starshenbaum (in the cinema) and Daria Balabanova (second plan). It also has the best script (Pyotr Todorovsky).
The victory in the animation nomination was given to the cartoon Finnick by Denis Chernov, in the short film nomination the film “A” by Tatyana Zhukova won, the best non-fiction film – “Phase of the Moon” by Andrey Osipov.
Three more eagles flew to the historical drama “The Heart of Parma”: for the costumes (Ekaterina Dyminskaya), the work of the production designer (Pavel Novikov and Vladimir Trepeznikov) and the work of the sound engineer (Rostislav Alimov). But the visual effects (creative partnership Cyber Post) and editing (Alexander Koshelev) won over the experts in the military drama Once Upon a Desert above all.
The honorary statuette “For his contribution to cinematography” was posthumously awarded to Vladimir Naumov. He received the “Golden Eagle” from the wife of director Karen Shakhnazarov, Natalya Belokhvostikova.
The annual Golden Eagle award, the winners of which are chosen by the Russian National Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences, has been awarded since 2002. Recall that the film “Silver Skates” directed by Mikhail Lokshin was recognized as the best film of 2021.
