Denis Pasler, Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region, sent greetings to the participants and guests of the III Antares International Film Festival

The head of the region noted the deep symbolism of holding a festival dedicated to the working person and emphasized the special status of the Middle Urals this year.

“I welcome you to the opening of the III International Film Festival ‘Antares’! Cinema long ago ceased to be merely an art — it has become the most important part of our life, a language spoken by millions,” the address says.

The governor recalled that in 2026 the Sverdlovsk region was awarded the exclusive status of ‘Honorary Region of the Antares Film Festival’. According to him, this decision is deeply symbolic: the Middle Urals is one of Russia’s industrial leaders, famed for its strong engineering school and firm traditions of respect for labor, professionalism, and creation. Yekaterinburg has been awarded the title ‘City of Labor Valor,’ and the Sverdlovsk region rightly ranks among the most promising territories in Russia for employment and career building.

“The Antares festival is a unique event in the world of cinema, the only film festival entirely dedicated to the Working Person and the diversity of professions. The mission of the festival is to return to the screen respect for workers, engineers, doctors, teachers, builders — all who by their daily labor create the future of our country,” emphasized Denis Pasler.

The festival’s slogan — ‘Every kind of work deserves cinema’ — resonates with the philosophy that has lived in the hearts of Urals residents for decades, the governor noted.

The head of the region wished the organizers a successful festival, the participants inspiration and new creative victories, and the audience unforgettable impressions from films in which the stories of the true heroes of our time — working people — come to life. The greeting of the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region, Denis Pasler, was read from the stage by the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Sverdlovsk Region, Andrey Vetluzhskikh.

Recall that the III International Film Festival “Antares” is taking place in Moscow from September 12 to 25, 2026. The competition program features films from 44 countries, showing representatives of 133 professions. A record number of applications were submitted to the festival — more than 3,700 from 79 countries. Admission to all screenings is free with prior registration.