10 CULTURE The Times Thursday, January 16, 2014 There can never be too many to admire The start of a new year is a time to look back at the achievements of the previous year. Belarusfilm National Studio is no exception, with Director General

Oleg Silvanovich reflecting on 2013 at a press conference in Minsk. Oleg Silvanovich By Yuri Chernyakevich sian literary classics, military- Last year, Belarusfilm Unbelievable Travel, while Denis Nupreichik, a graduate a TV series version (for tel- historical films, children’s launched two full-length Alexandra Butor, who stud- of the Belarusian State Acad- evision broadcast) and a full- The main message from works, thrillers and action debut films at once. Alexan- ied under People’s Artist of emy of Arts. length version for film re- Belarusfilm is that it’s a studio adventures, educational films, der Anisimov, who studied Alexander Yefremov, Mr. Silvanovich tells us lease, helping to more actively with a closed cycle of produc- comedies, art house films and under People’s Artist of the shot Belye Rosy. Returns. Both that, since last year, Belarus- promote Belarusian films. tion, able to shoot, edit and directorial debuts: in Russian USSR Victor Turov, directed films are to premiere this year, film has shifted towards dual- Two comedies from the distribute a great many films and Belarusian.” children’s adventure comedy alongside Stasik, the debut of format film production, with Belarusfilm studio are soon annually: fiction, documen- being screened in Russia: tary and . In 2013, With 8th of March, Men! and 74 film projects have been Belye Rosy. Returns. Mr. Sil- completed, including Traces vanovich hopes that the latter of the Apostles (directed by will prove a huge hit, saying, Sergey Talybov), The Kinder- “It’s a lyrical drama. While ville Ghost (Yelena Turova), the first film — Belye Rosy Babu, and Tsugtsvang (Oleg (White Dew) — saw the city Bazilov). pitted against the village, this Traces of the Apostles, film has reversed the situa- Stealing Belmondo, The Ad- tion. A private investor tries ventures of Nestserka and In to buy land, allowing explora- the Fog drew audiences of tion of the theme of material- around 200,000 in Belarus. ism and greed.” According to the Director Fans of Belarusian cine- General, these have been matography will be delighted an unquestioned success: by the release of a complete shot in Belarus and find- set of DVDs entitled ‘Golden ing keen audiences abroad. Dozen of Belarusian Films’, Last year, Russian TV chan- which marks the 90th anni- nels screened Belarusfilm versary of domestic cinema. films about 470 times, while Among those included are Ukraine made 34 screenings, Belye Rosy by Igor Dobro- Germany — 17, and Latvia — lyubov (1983), King Stakh’s 2. Denis Skvortsov’s military Wild Hunt by Valery Rubin- film Dnieper Line has even chik (1979), and The Adven- been screened in Japan. tures of Buratino by Leonid Mr. Silvanovich notes Nechaev (1975). The stu- that, last year, the National dio has spent a significant Film Studio expanded its amount of money — several format. “Our repertoire has BELTA dozen thousand Dollars — to included Belarusian and Rus- Lithuanian actor Juozas Budraitis takes part in Belye Rosy. Returns bring about its release. Fir trees made of lace, Traditions have their beads, strobili and feathers unforgettable history By Andrey Fiodorov oured this noble creature and which traditions remain with us today, con- Around 70 unique works on show at Brest Regional Horse Image in Traditions of Our nected with horses. Local History Museum’s New Year exhibition of Ancestors mini-exhibition, at According to the Oriental calen- Gomel’s Rumyantsev-Paskevich dar, 2014 is the year of the blue wood- snowy fairy tale fir trees Palace, hosts master class in en horse, making the timing of the creating talisman for new year exhibition apt. Visitors at the opening By Svetlana Vechorko The exhibition explores the cult ceremony were able to create their of the horse in the Gomel Region, own horse talisman for the new year, The New Year fir trees have been through artefacts from the early under the tutelage of famous Gomel created with great creativity and Iron Age and ancient Russian times. sculptor Vladimir Andreyanov — a originality, being made from lace, Through archaeological exhibits, visi- member of the Union of Artists of beads, strobili, feathers, sweets, or- tors can see why our ancestors hon- Belarus. ange peel, plastic bottle caps, clay, woven fabrics and cotton. Students from the local university have even made a vytinanka-tree and a wood- Choral singing en fir tree, decorated with national symbols. Around 30 people from the re- in city over Dvina gional centre and the Brest District By Sergey Smirnov alongside the Children’s Art School accepted the museum’s invitation to choir, Kapel and Vita (Moscow Re- Christmas Chime festival of create the best New Year fir tree and Visitors to the exhibition estimate beauty of man-made festive trees gion), Moscow’s Vesnyanka and mask. The youngest were aged just church music held in Vitebsk Novgorod’s female academic choir. six, with children being invited from The jury comprised museum by Brest’s Inessa Finsler. A 5.5kg The event united the best per- Christmas Chime also gave per- the Supplementary Education Cen- curators, local forestry and tour- chocolate fir tree took second formers of sacred music from Minsk, formances at the Vitebsk Spiritual tre, secondary and Sunday schools, ist agency workers, and members place, while a collective student Mogilev and some regions of Russia, Seminary, Holy Assumption Cathe- as well as from the Territorial Centre of the Natural Resources and En- work made from shell-shaped pas- hosted by the Vitebsk Region. Ini- dral and the Regional Philharmonic of Public Social Services. The exhi- vironmental Protection Commit- ta took bronze. tially, performances took place at the Society. In particular, it featured a bition is the third of its kind, with tee and the Regional Executive The exhibition will be open until Yakub Kolas National Academic Dra- performance of the String Orchestra the number of participants growing Committee. First place went to a January 20th, with votes welcomed ma Theatre. The Vitebsk Centre for of Richter Children’s Art School from annually. fir tree made of glazed rolls, made for the People’s Choice Award. Contemporary Art youth choir sang, Moscow.