Participation in the Montreal Film Festival is a very important and unforgettable event for me. First of all because it has been my first international festival. That time I presented my film JAZZMEN that was welcomed by the Montreal audience in a very warm way. The movie was purchased and shown in USA and Canada. Since then I took part in tens or hundreds of festivals but it was Montreal where my premiere took place and that's why I can say that Montreal Film Festival has opened the doors for me not only to the New World but to the big world of cinematography as well.

Then I was repeatedly or a guest of the Montreal World Film Festival or its participation. If I didn't manage to arrive, my movies participated in it, that's why I treat the Festival like a very close friend. Of course in the Montreal World Film Festival, like in any other, a very important role is played by the person who has created it, by a man who has invented it and who's been holding it for 30 years already. His name is Serge Losique, the president, the director and the inspirer of the Festival. My opinion is that Mr. Losique has created one of the best film festivals in the world, the festival with very high reputation and with a very high level of the movies. It is an event where a very festive, friendly and creative atmosphere always reigns, let alone the place itself because Montreal, Quebec is one of the most charming and peculiar places in North America. I suppose that it may be connected with the influence of the French culture that once found itself on American ground and imported some specific charm to it. All this creates a particular energy, a particular aura and all this is a concept known among all the cinematographers as the Montreal World Film Festival. It's known all over the world, it's one of the best and undoubtedly it is always very exciting.

It's a pleasure for me to send my best wishes to the Festival for its anniversary and I'd like to add that thirty years in a festival's life is like thirty years in the life of a person, it is only the first step after which its history will continue. And I wish the Montreal Film festival to continue its glorious history, to grow up and to remain one of the leading festivals in the world as it showed itself in the years past. And of course I'd like to wish its organizers and everyone who takes part in the preparing of this films festival health, success and a many good films, and I'm sure that the Montreal World Film festival will open all the doors to such films. I wish creative mood and fruitful work to all of you!

Karen Shakhnazarov
Film Director, General Director
Mosfilm Cinema Company

Invit� du Festival en / Festival guest in 1983, 1995, 1998, 2004

Films pr�sent�s / Films presented:

1983

• MY IZ DJAZA / NOUS SOMMES DU JAZZ / WE ARE FROM JAZZ
• Comp�tition officielle / Official competition

1989

• GOROD ZERO / VILLE Z�RO / ZERO CITY
• Cin�ma d'aujourd'hui et de demain / Cinema of Today and Tomorrow

1995

• AMERICAN DAUGHTER
• Competition officielle / Official competition

1998

• DEN POLNOLUNIYA / LE JOURDE LA PLEINE LUNE / THE DAY OF THE FULL MOON
• Cin�ma d'aujourd'hui et de demain / Cinema of Today and Tomorrow

2001

• YADI ILI VSEMIRNAYA ISTORIYA OTRAVLENII / POISONS OU L'HISTOIRE MONDIALE DE L'EMPOISONNEMENT / POISONS OR THE WORLD HISTORY OF POISONING
• Hors concurs / World greats

2004

• VSADNIK PO IMENI SMERT / LE CAVALIER DE LA MORT / THE RIDER NAMED DEATH
• Comp�tition officielle - Official Competition