The Anger
10 AND VIRGINIA
I'm not Lakit
Sonuncu (The Last One)
Floof
Fleeing The War
Joseph Brodsky.
Conversation
with Celestial
THERE-ТАМ-ALLI-DORT-LÁ -
对方- الجانب الآخر
- 向こう側
The Booth At The End
Festival’s
program:
2016
Russian Film Festival in Lebanon
In 2016 we organized the first Russian Film Festival in Lebanon. The festival was held with the support of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lebanese Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Tourism, the Governor of Beirut and the Embassy of Lebanon in Russia. About 5,000 people visited the festival. Twelve screenings were held along with the two press-conferences and the press-tour in which 16 Russian journalists from major news outlets took part. The festival was a big event and have been visited by Lebanese public figures and politicians. Over 200 publications
and articles were made in Russian and international mass media.
2016
Russian short film screenings
Since 2016 we collaborate with Middle Eastern region in business, culture and tourism fields. We acted as bilateral partners in Middle Eastern distribution of the film «Flight Crew» (Ekipazh). Same year we organized Russian short film screenings at USEK University in Lebanon and conducted a film producing master class for the students.
2017
Fleeing The War
In 2017 we released the documentary «Fleeing The War» about Syrian refugees. The film received a special prize from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Russia at Stalker Film Festival.
2019
A Ladder to Heaven
In 2019 few projects have been put in production: an animated short «A Ladder to Heaven» based on a tale by Tonino Guerra and co-produced by Lebanon; feature film «Spider», dir. Igor Voloshin; feature film «In Her Head», Maria Ivanova directorial debut; trioadaptation of «THERE», a tale by Boris Akunin, and two series
2019
Grant buro
In 2019 Grant Buro, a project aimed to help receive grants for cinema production, has been founded on the basis of the company.
2021
The Anger
Director Maria Ivanova Surae presented her debut feature film “The Anger”. The psychological drama stars young French-Lebanese actress Manal Issa. “The Anger” tells the story of a young Muslim woman. The film touches upon a very relevant topic of East vs. West through the relationship between an Eastern girl and a Western man. The originality of the idea comes from our story being told through a prism of a Middle Eastern country. Co-production between Lebanon and Germany.
2021
I'm not Lakit
We have started a new movie “I’m not Lakit”. Lebanese feature drama with documantary episode. “I’m not Lakit” tells the story about Saleh who has no family name, no nationality, no passport, no religious belonging. Saleh is a lakit. According to the Islamic dictionary, a lakit is an illegitimate, abandoned child. In a country where the most important things are your family name, ancestry, religion and nationality, these people are deprived of it all through no fault of their own.
2013
The Right to Happiness
In 2013 «The Right to Happiness», a program about children with disabilities, was aired on television. «The Right to Happiness» was awarded for Best TV Program for two years in a row: in 2013, Grand Prix at International Festival of Television Programs and Web-Projects ‘Integration’ and in 2014, the television award for Best Program.
2018
Cherry City
In 2018 we have developed a project called «Cherry City» — an all-inclusive support for children and adults with mental disorders.
2015
Markus Martinovich
In 2015 we organised the exhibition of an artist with autism Markus Martinovich at Zeppelin art gallery. The event was well attended and positively received by the media. More than 300 people visited the exhibition. Ten of Markus’ paintings were sold at the auction hosted by famous Russian actor Gosha Kutsenko. A child with special needs lent a helping hand to those who struggle even more. Part of the funds, received at the auction, were donated to «Shag Vmeste» charity fund for children with cerebral palsy.
2019
international CDKL5 alliance
In 2019 Russian association of CDKL5 mutation was created and became a part of an international CDKL5 alliance. Parents of the children with CDKL5 mutation have gathered for the first time at the event we have organized with the help of LouLou Foundation.
THE TEAM
Maria Ivanova Surae is a director, screenwriter and producer with over 16 years of experience in the film industry, including years of commitment to the Lebanese cultural scene. She was born in Moscow in 1983. She graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University. She is the CEO of the Scoop Production film company (www.superscoop.ru). She started as a documentary filmmaker and switched to feature films. As a producer she filmed more than 100 documentaries for TV channels. In 2014 the short fiction film “The Last One” or “Sonuncu” (a co-production between Russia and Azerbaijan) produced by Maria was selected for the Official Competition of Short Films at the 67th Cannes Film Festival, it later participated in 87 film festivals and received 9 awards. In 2017 Maria directed the documentary short “Muhamad” and documentary feature about Syrian refugees “Fleeing the War”. The film received a special award from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Russia and the main Critics’ Choice Award at the Stalker International Film Festival. In 2020 Maria shot a documentary film about a village for people with autism called “Village”. In 2021 Maria finished her debut feature “The Anger” (a co-production between Lebanon and Germany). The star of French cinema, actress Manal Issa plays the lead role. The cinematographer is Tommaso Fiorilli. In the spring of 2021 Maria has started working on her next feature film under the title “I’m not Lakit” which is shooting in Lebanon too. The cinematographer is talented Marius Panduru. In addition to cinema, Maria is involved in social projects. She is the head of the Russian Association of the CDKL5 mutation. She organized an exhibition of an artist with autism, she is involved in projects helping children with disabilities.