Traditionally, the international competition of the Message to Man Film Festival presents a serious challenge for the audience. It’s not only a test for those from the film industry — programmers, film enthusiasts, and cinephiles of all kinds — but, of course, and most importantly, for the international jury. There aren’t many film festivals worldwide where one has to choose the best from different formats, but at Message to Man, all films, regardless of their length, are treated equally, much like how all people on Earth should be treated equally.
Full-length documentaries in our programme are presented alongside short documentary works, while live-action short films are paired with animation. The competition’s composition might appear eclectic, heterogeneous, even mosaic. It resembles a patchwork quilt, sewn together from the finest lace and coarse canvas, thick leather and delicate silk, cutting-edge nylon and familiar chintz. This multifaceted approach reflects the diverse perspective that contemporary cinema offers on the world. It is this variability that is cinema’s fundamental strength, as it reaches the heart, mind, and soul of viewers in different ways, allowing each individual to find meaning in the intricate, ever-changing patterns.
As cinema is coming to you, take a step toward it. Choose any path that suits you. The International Competition of Message to Man is a labyrinth of possibilities. You can explore modern classics (this year’s competition features Bogancloch by Ben Rivers and Extremely Short by Koji Yamamura) or discover emerging talents. Create your own list of unique protagonists: a kidney stone (Apple Cider Vinegar) searching for relatives in a volcanic mouth, a migrant refusing to leave a crocodile’s belly (Panadrilo), a statue of Lenin gazing hopefully into the future (Still with Us), or Sylvester Stallone morphing into an Israeli Rambo (Under a Blue Sun). Where else can you encounter such characters? Yet, there are also those in whom you may find a reflection of yourself — people of all ages from every continent.
The Message to Man competition offers a wonderful opportunity to explore world geography, traveling from Iceland to Australia, from China to Canada, from Ecuador to Russia. In 2024, the selection committee received submissions from over ninety countries, with the final lineup featuring films from thirty nations, including those lesser explored in the cinematic context, such as Sudan (Nothing Happens After That).
The festival’s goal is to invite everyone on this journey, to ease the preparation, and to make borders more transparent. To overcome isolation and mutual alienation — issues so sharply felt and endured today — which is the only way to understand the message that the wider world shouts out to man through the language of cinema.
Vasiliy Stepanov