Russian culture festival opening in Cannes

Cannes are hosting a Russian cultural festival, which will last till August 24th. It is the 6th time that the festival is held in the famous French resort.

"There is no doubt that the festival is a major event in Russian-French relations at a state level," Denis Molchanov, 1st Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying.

According to the official, the current festival is different from the previous ones, because this time it is financially supported not only by the Russian Ministry of Culture, which has allocated about 200,000 euros for the arrangement, but by the French party, to be precise the Mayor's Office of the city, as well.

This year the festival will be attended by the Pyatnitsky Russian National Chorus, well known nationwide and abroad, renowned musicians Yury Bashmet and Viktor Tretyakov. Moreover, spectators will have a chance to watch the Russian Hamlet and Chaikovsky ballets, staged by St. Petersburg's choreograph Boris Eifman, and Russia's best films. Besides, the festival will host a number of exhibitions, organised by the Russian Culture Foundation.

"We are cherishing the idea of turning Cannes into a cultural Davos, where it would be possible to discuss important problems with our partners, as well as to learn the best, which has been created in different spheres of Russian art," the Russian deputy minister of culture stated.