Event: 14th RUSDOCFILMFEST documentary film festival in New York , October 18-24

This year’s annual independent documentary film festival – the 14th RUSDOCFILMFEST – will take place on October 18-24 online and at a one-day screening at the SVA MFA in Manhattan (please see www.rusdocfilmfest.org). The festival program includes new films from 2019-2021 made by contemporary documentary filmmakers from across the post-Soviet bloc and from the USA – independent film-studios from Armenia, Bulgaria, Chile, Georgia, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and USA. All movies have English subtitles. 

The organizers grouped all 30 films into three programs: “Free World” includes social documentaries; “Eternal Values” reflects a wide-range of cultural issues; and “Fresh Look” shows films of new experimental formats.
There are several films in the program of social documentaries: 
I particularly recommend for students: “TRUTH TO POWER”. For fans of the heavy metal rock group SYSTEM OF A DOWN, for fans of rock-star and social activist Serj Tankian, Grammy’s awardee. With exclusive interviews and original footage personally filmed by Serj Tankian, this documentary biopic allows audiences backstage access to an international rock star whose faith in music not only revolutionized heavy metal, but also world events. His decades-long campaign for formal U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide was finally approved by Congress. The documentary is a part of a special festival screenings program dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian genocide in 1915-16.
In the same program of screenings – several Russian documentaries: “Sakharov Case” dedicated to the 100th anniversary of scientist and political activist Andrei Sakharov, “Listyev. New Perspective” – a documentary investigation about the 1990s in Russia and the murder of Vladislav Listyev, famous media figure. And – “Politzek is the New Black” made by young filmmakers about the Russian opposition movement and mass-arrests in the summer of 2019. 
Also in the program are the Bulgarian films “We are the Pain” and “Dossier of Laughter” about the repressions against intelligentsia in Soviet Bulgaria. 
I would also like to emphasize films in the cultural program: “Rachmaninoff” by Peter Rosen, the first American documentary about Sergei Rachmaninoff, “Tsvetaeva. Open”, a controversial biopic with participation of celebrities of present-day Russia who discuss some facts about the poet’s life; the first documentary about the genius conductor Teodor Currentzis – as well as a marvelous film about Georgian spiritual choruses – “Alilo”.  
For additional information please contact the Organizing Committee out of the list: rusdocfilmfest@gmail.com and visit www.rusdocfilmfest.org for film and ticket information.