The Golden Five Festival was inaugurated in 1999 by students and stuff of the Moscow State Institute of Culture and Art. Originally aimed at students of the university’s Department of Media Communications and Audiovisual Arts, the festival has since expanded to receive submissions from other Russian higher educational institutions, as well as from international participants.
The Golden Five is still organized by students, graduates and staff of the Moscow State Institute of Culture and Art. Its partners include the Moscow School of New Cinema, the McGuffin Film School, the Union of Cinematographers of the Russian Federation, the Moscow Film School, the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (VGIK), and others.
The festival aims to improve the quality of creative student work, to create a tight-knit community of film and photography students, to help students from around the world establish professional and business contacts, and to promote audiovisual arts among the young audience, including high school students who might be interested in pursuing a career in filmmaking or artistic photography.
The Golden Five hosts a competition for student films and creative photography projects. Awards are presented in a number of categories including Short Feature Films (10–51 minutes), Short Documentary Films (10–51 minutes), Animated Documentaries, Short Films (up to 10 minutes), Themed Photo (new theme each year), Music Videos, Photo 12+, Films Made by Children, and Art Photography. The festival also hosts a screenplay pitch session for emerging screenwriters which is considered part of the competition.
Alongside film screenings, photography exhibitions and an award ceremony, the program of the Golden Five Festival includes workshops, meetings with industry professionals (film directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, producers, photographers), concerts, networking events, and other activities aimed at developing young talent.
Photo: 5fest.ru
