The solemn closing ceremony of the 12th Odessa International Film Festival was held outdoors on the Potemkin Stairs for the first time. It was conducted by TV presenters Yanina Sokolova and Oleg Panyuta.
The celebrations began with a performance by the Bedroom Music group and the Odessa Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Igor Shavruk.
The guests of OMCF were congratulated by the Minister of Culture Alexander Tkachenko.
"I am grateful to everyone who decided to hold the festival this year. Because, in principle, festival life requires stability and, despite all the warnings of the pandemic, the fact that the festival is taking place, the fact that the focus of this year on the eve of the thirtieth anniversary of Ukrainian cinema, is great," he noted.
The main arbiters of the 12th Odessa International Film Festival - the audience - chose Ekaterina Gornostay's film "Stop-Earth", which received the "Golden Duke" Grand Prix, as the best film of the National Competition Program. The same tape became the owner of "Duke" in the nomination "Best full-length film" according to the jury.
"The show that was in Odessa, the audience's perception that we experienced and the love that was a powerful beam from the audience to all the participants in the process - it was incredible and it was a unique experience," said the director of the film "Stop Earth" Ekaterina Gornostay .
In addition, the special diploma of the jury was awarded to the film "Rival" directed by Markus Lenz.
The award for the best acting work was presented to an ensemble of teenage actors from the film "Stop Earth".
The statuette for "Best directorial work" was awarded to Nikon Romanchenko for the film Leopolis Night.
Immediately after the solemn closing ceremony, a screening of Charlie Chaplin's tape "The Kid", which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, took place on the Potemkin Stairs, accompanied by the Odessa Symphony Orchestra.
