Golden Unicorn Film Award

The aim of the award is to promote recognition of contemporary Russian cinema in the international arena and to reward the work of international directors making films about Russia, its history, culture or literature ^{[5] [6]} . The award aims to improve European-Russian cultural relations, stimulate the distribution of Russian films abroad and motivate international filmmakers to produce films about Russia, presenting their work to a Russian audience. The cross-cultural mission is achieved through two independent juries: Russian-made films are judged by film professionals from other countries, and foreign films are judged by Russians.

The prize got its name thanks to the unicorn, it is a mythical animal that is only the chosen one. The unicorn is depicted on the coat of arms of Great Britain, it is one of the symbols of the royal house. A unicorn was also depicted on the Russian coat of arms before the appearance of the double-headed eagle in the 15th century ^{[7] [8]} .

The Selection Panel reviews the applications for the award and selects films for consideration by the jury. The Selection Panel is independent of the Jury.

Composition of the Selection Panel:

• Olga Sherwood
• Valery Erlitsyn
• Alexander Kan
• Olga Miloshunas
• Anna Shalashina
• Ekaterina Solomchuk

The jury to evaluate Russian films ^[9] :

• Cox, Brian (actor) - Scottish actor, nominated for "Best Actor" in Scottish BAFTA , Golden Globe , Emmy
• Olga Kurylenko - Ukrainian and French actress
• Andrew Jack is a journalist for the Financial Times , director of Pushkin House in London from 2010–2016.
• Stuart Brown - BFI Program Director, Engaged in BFI Movie Viewer and Distribution Strategy
• Nancy Condy - Professor of Film Studies at the University of Pittsburgh (USA), Director of the Russian Research Institute
• David Kelly - Producer, Member of BAFTA British Film Academy and European Film Academy
• Adam Freudenheim - Publisher & Managing Director, Pushkin Press
• Debbie McWilliams - casting director, known for working in the James Bond films ( Spectrum , Coordinates: Skyfall , Quantum of Solace )
• Carola Ash - Head of the Oscar Committee for Europe

The jury for evaluating foreign films about Russia ^[10] :

• Oleg Asadulin - Russian and German film director, actor and producer
• Stas Tyrkin - film critic, columnist for the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda , member of the selection committee of the Moscow Film Festival, curator of film programs at the Gogol Center
• Olga Sutulova - theater and film actress
• Mikhail Gorevoy - theater and film actor, theater teacher and director

The award ceremony is held annually in London in late November - early December. The award annually selects a charitable organization, donations for which are collected during the Russian Cinema Week in London and at the award ceremony. In 2018, Natalia Vodianova’s Naked Hearts Fund was selected, for which they raised 160,000 pounds. In 2017, the award was sponsored by WWF ^[11] . In 2016, support was provided to the Chulpan Khamatova Foundation “ Give Life ” with a total fund of 85,000 pounds ^{[12] [13] [14] [15]} .

Main nominations:

• Best feature film
• Best screenplay
• The best foreign film about Russia or on a Russian theme
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Short
• Best documentary
• Best Foreign Documentary
• Best animated film

Additional nominations:

• Audience selection
• Best new talent
• For his contribution to the promotion of Russian culture abroad ^[16] .

In different years, the following actors were nominated for Best Actress and Best Actor: Vladimir Mishukov, Dmitry Podnozov, Tabakov, Pavel Olegovich , Danila Kozlovsky , Marta Kozlova , Mironov, Evgeny Vitalievich , Lars Aidinger , Daria Zhovner, Nelly Popova

In the nomination “A Foreign Film About Russia” and “A Foreign Documentary Film About Russia”, 24 films were presented over three years, including “Sergio & Sergei”, “Translator” (Un Traductor), “Genesis 2.0” (Genesis 2.0), “The White Arrow”, “The Russian Five”, “Lady Macbeth”, “Son of Sofia”, “Prejudices Against Shadows” (Prejudices Against Shadows), Vermelho Russo, Polina, Polina, Soviet Hippies, Placebo: ALT.Russia, 1917, The Real October

In the nomination "Best Film" 16 films were presented, including the War of Anna , the Heart of the World , Arrhythmia , Cramping, Two Women ^{[21] [22]} .

The Unicorn Echo Festival is held in Russia after the Golden Unicorn Award in London. Foreign films in the nominations “Best Foreign Film about Russia” and “Best Documentary Film about Russia” were shown in cinemas in Moscow, Voronezh, St. Petersburg, Tobolsk in 2017 ^{[23] [24] [25] [26] [27 ] [28] [29] [30]} .

Participants of the Echo of Unicorns 2017:

• Lady Macbeth (film) , United Kingdom - a film based on the essay by Nikolai Leskov “ Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk County ” ^[31]
• Son of Sofia, Greece, Bulgaria, France
• Prejudice Against Shadows, France
• Red Russian, Brazil
• Chronicles of Melania, Latvia, Finland, Czech Republic
• Placebo: Alt.Russia, UK
• Oleg and rare arts, Spain
• 1917 - Real October, Germany, France
• Exemption. Instructions for use, France
• Polina, France
• On the Nickel Moon, Canada, Russia
• Soviet hippies, Estonia