New Holland Island International Debut Film Festival
Starting from August 14, the International Debut Film Festival will introduce a competition program of short and feature-length films by aspiring independent filmmakers. The program covers various genres – fiction, documentary, and experimental so everyone should find a touching topic for them. The goal of the event is to support artists crossing the boundaries of traditional cinema and to transform their expression into a wide-ranging dialogue with the audience.
The festival will be held online, and the program will be available at Nonfiction.film, where you can rent a film for 48 hours with a minimum rental cost of 100 rubles. All the proceeds from online screenings will go to the Nochlezhka charity organization to help the homeless.
However, the online format of the festival is not a reason to restrain yourself from visiting New Holland Island. Visitors can enjoy this year’s new additions to the area by going for a stroll in its herbal garden, playing basketball on its outdoor court, which actually looks like a piece of art, or having a picnic on its huge lawn.
Kino Corner
Lenfilm Studio, the pioneer of St. Petersburg’s cinema industry, is exploring new ways to involve citizens in art. This Sunday, August 16 it presents Kino Corner (link in Russian) – a unique culture and event space in Petrogradsky District. The pedestrian area along the Lenfilm facade, painted with images from iconic Soviet movies made by the studio, is not only a new spot to take a picture, but also a hub of cultural activities. Every weekend till September 30, visitors can take part in workshops, performances, and film screenings held at the Kino Corner cluster. On the opening day, you will be invited to visit the pottery workshop and participate in a quiz. In addition, as a part of an extensive musical program, the Dunaevsky Orchestra, Alisa Grebenshchikova, and Tosya Chaikina will perform on stage. Entrance is free of charge.
Benua Art Garden
Looking for a more secluded place still in the heart of art? Don’t hesitate to visit Benua Art Garden (link in Russian)! It’s a free open-air gallery as well as a creative platform aiming to unite St. Petersburg artists and audiences. This year, the theme of the exhibition is the Summer Garden and other famous St. Petersburg symbols. The artists were invited to rethink and integrate them into modern days. As a result, they presented alternative views of the Summer Garden and its porphyry vase, Alexander Pushkin, and installation of the most beautiful horses in the world. So take your chance to enjoy sculptures, installations, media art and form your own opinion on new life breathed into old images.
