Update Post: November 28, 2023 11:02 am
It took place within the framework of a series of thematic forums of the Russian Historical Society “History for the Future” and became a separate day in the program of the All-Russian Festival of Historical Films “VECHE”, which is held on the 17th time. .
Most of the film festival events take place in Rzhev, which this year celebrates the 80th anniversary of liberation from Nazi invaders.
Vice President of the Russian Military Historical Society Nikolai Ovsienko recalled that the Battle of Rzhev was one of the longest and bloodiest of the Great Patriotic War.
– The soldiers who fought here in 1942 and 1943 firmly believed in the Homeland and Victory. The Rzhev Memorial is not a monument to Victory, it is precisely a monument to the Soldier. To the fact that in Tvardovsky’s poem he said: “They killed me and I don’t know if Rzhev will finally be ours.”
They did not know the outcome of the war, but they believed in victory. This is the most important quality that should be in each of us. We believe in our country, we believe in Victory. We understand that we will not allow neo-fascism to enter our country,” said Nikolai Ovsienko.
The battles in the Rzhev land became the prologue to subsequent victories: in Stalingrad, near Kursk, in the Caucasus and a radical turning point in the war.
“I am a child of war, I know what it is like,” the president of the Veche festival, the people’s artist of Russia and the film director Svetlana Druzhinina greeted the guests. – Therefore, every day I rejoice in the sun that shines upon us, and in the bread that each of us has in abundance. Rejoice and thank those who gave us this life. Only Victory, only strength of spirit, only forward and not a step back. Victory will be ours!
According to the words of the governor of the Tver region, Igor Rudeni, who sent greetings, those gathered in Rzhev are united by the desire to preserve the historical truth about the events of the Great Patriotic War and transmit the traditions of patriotic service to the Homeland for the new generations.
The RVIO Public Award “For fidelity to historical truth” is awarded to those who make a significant contribution to the preservation of historical memory, traditional spiritual and moral values and the continuity of generations.
In the “Search Squad” category, this time the award went to the 90th special search battalion of the Western Military District. He participated in hundreds of search expeditions almost throughout the country and is a permanent member of the International Search Expedition “Rzhev. Kalinin Front”.
The award in the “Film Series” category was received by the president of the Vyacheslav Tikhonov Foundation for Patriotic, Spiritual and Moral Education and the international film festival “17 Moments…”, Anna Tikhonova.
The director of the Internet project “Remembrance” Artem Drabkin, known to readers for the books “Donbass 1943. Liberation of the industrial heart of Russia” and “Not killed in Rzhev”, also received the award “For loyalty to the truth historical”. Prize for the book “Rzhev 1942. First summer success”.
The prize in the “Illuminator” category was awarded to Alexander Odzho, a history teacher at Moscow School No. 854.
And in the “Expert” nomination is the radio and television presenter, public figure, author and host of the “Izolenta live” program Trofim Tatarenkov.
Popular artists of Russia Yuri Rozum and Alexander Domogarov, theater and film actor Mikhail Mamaev, the exemplary orchestra of the Russian Guard and the famous musician Django performed at the festival.
Among the spectators of the festival were more than 300 students of Russian universities, seekers and families of SVO participants, representatives of public and voluntary organizations and schoolchildren.