The program for Russian Resurrection Film Festival 2017 is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever with a fantastic line up of new films confirmed for this year. The largest and most respected festival of Russian film outside of Russia will be screening  across Australia and New Zealand throughout October and November.

“We have carefully selected films which represent the range and breadth of quality Russian films, so whether you’re looking to immerse yourself in Russian culture, undertake a historical journey, succumb to an entertaining romance or something to take the kids to, this year’s program will satisfy all tastes!” – Festival Director, Nicholas Maksymow.

New adventure film Spacewalkers (2017) is confirmed for the festival this year. Starring renowned Russian actors Mironov, Khabenskiy and Ilyin Spacewalkers is based on a true story. The film is set during the heat of the Space Race where USSR and the USA competed for supremacy in space. Both superpowers aim to be the first to have a man walk in outer space and it’s up to the unlikely duo of a seasoned war veteran and a hot-headed test-pilot to fulfil the mission.

Directed by Boris Khlebnikov Arrhythmia (2017) took home the major prize for Best Film at Russia’s Kinotavr in June this year. The arthouse drama went on to make its international debut at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where its male lead Alexander Yatsenko won the best actor prize. The film follows the lives of Oleg, a gifted and opinionated paramedic and his wife Katya who works at the hospital emergency department. Caught between emergency calls, alcohol-fuelled sessions and the search for a meaning in life, Oleg and Katya need to find the binding force that keeps them together.

The Kitchen: World Chef Battle (2017) is the highly anticipated witty follow-up to the hit Kitchen in Paris. Before meeting Anna, a beautiful French woman, all Ivan was interested in was digital codes and hacker programs. Anna and Ivan both fly to Sochi to compete in the World Championship for Chefs: Anna will represent France and Ivan will cook for Russia. Ivan must earn the trust of his culinary super-team and sort out his relationship with his father, well-known chef Victor Barinov. If only Ivan would stick to the recipes – he may avoid trouble, chaos and prison, all whilst helping television personality and host for the World Championship for Chefs, Dmitri Nagiev, escape a forced marriage.

The Russian Resurrection Film Festival is one of the largest, oldest and most respected Russian film festivals outside of Russia. The festival takes audiences on a thrilling journey into one of the world’s most diverse film cultures. From humble beginnings in 2004 screening in just three cities in Australia, the festival has grown dramatically in size and now screens in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Auckland in New Zealand.

WHAT: Russian Resurrection Film Festival

WHERE: Events Cinema, George Street and Burwood

WHEN: 26 October to 1 November