When I was little, I always looked forward to watching cartoons on TV. They aired once a week, and I waited with excitement. If they turned out to be, to put it mildly, uninteresting, I was deeply disappointed. Then, I’d wait another week, hoping to see my favorite—whether it was Boniface the Lion, Winnie the Pooh, or The Mitten. Those films somehow breathed something essential into me, something necessary for life. I still love them today.

Then, by coincidence—or perhaps luck—I had the chance to study animation with the creators of those cartoons. Khitruk, Nazarov, and Norstein were my teachers. Despite their venerable age, they were so much like their films: lively, witty, easy to talk to, bright, generous, and wise. Although, to be more precise, their films resembled them, not the other way around.

And I was lucky once again: ten years ago, I was invited to work at Soyuzmultfilm. Since then, I’ve been striving to make films like the ones from my childhood. I also invite directors to the studio who can create such films—small, but beautiful works that can surprise, captivate, make you laugh, cry, inspire, and support. Films that help people live, even if just a little.

As a child, I wanted to be a pirate—with sails, treasure, maps, and adventures. And so it happened that I didn’t become a pirate, but I did find treasures and adventures. My work is full of surprises and discoveries, and my treasures are the many films my colleagues and I have made over the years.

In the end, I like how it all turned out. I hope you will too.

Mikhail Aldashin,
Programme Curator

Over the past 10 years (2014–2024), more than 150 short films have been produced at the Soyuzmultfilm studio. These films have been showcased at over 300 Russian and international festivals, earning more than 320 prizes and awards, including the Golden Eagle, Nika, and Ikar awards.