A report on the Second Antares International Film Festival, a large-scale celebration of cinema about the Working Man, has been published

Today, September 10, exactly one month after the closing, the Organizing Committee of the II International Antares Film Festival published its final public report, providing a detailed overview of all aspects of one of the most significant cultural events of the summer of 2025. The festival, dedicated to the Worker, took place with great success in Moscow from August 6 to 10, confirming its status as a leading international platform for filmmakers telling stories about the value and dignity of labor.

As noted in the report, the festival's key mission was to create a unique space for reflecting on and promoting the image of the modern worker—a person whose profession is not merely a backdrop but the heart of a dramatic story, a source of conflicts, achievements, and personal growth.

Incredible scale and geography

The figures cited in the report are impressive. A total of 2,677 submissions were received from 72 countries around the world. After a rigorous selection process, 104 best films from 29 countries were included in the festival program, including Russia, Uzbekistan, Argentina, Iran, the United States, Spain, India, Zimbabwe, France, and many others. Such broad coverage clearly demonstrates that the theme of labor is truly universal and unifying for the entire world.

Main winners and triumphant films

A highlight of the festival was the announcement of the winners. The main triumph went to Uzbek director Ayub Shakhobiddinov and his film "In Pursuit of Spring" (profession – teacher). The film won the main prize – the Antares statuette for "Best Feature Film", as well as awards for Best Screenplay (Erkin Agzam), Best Actor (Ilhom Berdiev), and Best Supporting Actor (Anvar Kartaev).

In other competitions, the winners were:

• *Best Short Film: "The Road" directed by Maxim Voronkov (Russia)

• *Best Documentary Film: "The Carpenter" directed by Khalil Saragaradi (Iran)
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Unique features of the festival

The report highlights several unique features of Antares that set it apart from other film festivals:

• 1. Parade of Professions: The opening ceremony did not start with a traditional red carpet for celebrities, but with a large-scale Parade of Professions, in which 80 students from Russian Student Teams took part. This symbolized the main idea of the festival—a tribute to the real heroes of our time.
• 2. Systematic business program "CinemaDialogue": As part of the festival, 15 specialized sessions were held for industry professionals. Experts discussed crowdfunding, distribution, partnerships with enterprises and trade unions, as well as the use of artificial intelligence in film production.
• 3. Awarding the "Professional" honorary badge: During the opening ceremony, renowned actors presented awards to outstanding representatives of various professions—from a metro train driver and a rheumatologist to a tram driver and a garment manufacturing technologist—an act of deep public recognition of their work.
• 4. Formation of a "Golden Collection": The festival began forming a unique archive—the "Golden Collection" of high-quality films about professions, which will become an important cultural heritage and resource for future generations.
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Strong support and resonance

The co-organizers of the festival were the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR) and the Union of Cinematographers of the Russian Federation. The general partner was TechnoProgress. The powerful support from trade union organizations across the country filled the cinemas with the most grateful audience—representatives of working communities.

The festival received extensive coverage in federal and industry media, including TASS, Solidarnost, Vedomosti, RIA Novosti, and many others, which indicates significant public resonance.

The publication of the full report sums up the results of a grand five-day marathon of cinema, discussions, and celebration of labor. The II International Antares Film Festival not only took place but also established itself as a serious, sought-after, and socially significant platform in the global film process, eagerly awaiting new participants and guests next year.

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The full Public Report is available at the link: https://disk.yandex.ru/i/uolX4...