Our winner`s cases
How participating in the Film Festival helps you network and reach heights in the industry
Today, the KinoKot Festival has become an important platform for creative artists from across the region — from film directors to musicians. Participants develop their expertise, sharing how the festival helped them find audiences, convey genuine sound, and recognize their strengths. 🎬 Sofia Chigirova is a film director, winner of the 1st KinoKot International Film Festival (for "Snake Mountain," the Best Cinematography Award) and the 2nd KinoKot.Winter International Film Festival (for "Uselenye," the Best Color Grading Award). She is also the recipient of the VGIK-Fest Grand Prix. She received an invitation from Emir Kusturica personally to participate in the Serbian film festival Kustendorf. Tell us about yourself: how did you come up with the idea to participate in KinoKot? What was the festival like? What did you gain from participating? My producer submitted our film "Snake Mountain" to various festivals. We got into KinoKot. The festival was held remotely for me, but I received feedback from the organizers, who shared with me audience reviews and their impressions of the film. It was incredibly gratifying because I could sense their sincerity and genuine interest in what they do and the films they select. They then sent us an award, as well as gifts from the festival and the jury — it was very thoughtful of them. Participating in the festival gave me faith that our films could find an audience and that someone truly liked them, so we applied for next year, as we had formed an emotional connection with KinoKot. Would you recommend other creatives to participate in our Film Festival? And if so, what would you wish for the other participants? Of course, I recommend participating in as many festivals as possible, and KinoKot is no exception — the people there are truly passionate about their work. I had the chance to meet the founder, Artem, personally; he was very supportive and was delighted with our other successes. I wish all the participants success in finding their audience, staying positive, and enjoying every opportunity to show their films! 🎬 Artem Zatsepin is a Russian singer (in the band Tom Kosmos), winner of the 2nd KinoKot.Winter International Film Festival (with his music video for his original song "Pole") and winner of the show "Our New Music" on Channel One. Tell us about yourself: how did you come up with the idea to participate in KinoKot? What was the Film Festival like? What did participating in it give you? I write songs and am involved in music. The organizers invited me to the festival after learning about my work. I initially performed as a musical guest, but later decided to submit my music video to the KinoKot Film Festival and won in one of the categories, which surprised and delighted me greatly. 🎬 Alexey Postnov is a film director and winner of the 1st KinoKot International Film Festival (for his film "While the Thunder Is Around," winning the award for Best Director). Tell us about yourself: how did you come up with the idea to participate in KinoKot? How did the film festival itself go? What did you gain from participating? I received an invitation to the festival from members of the selection committee. I responded positively, filled out, and submitted my work. A month later, I learned that my film had been included in the competition program. The festival was held in Voronezh, and I was unable to attend in person as I was in Moscow. However, my posts on VK and Telegram helped me keep track of the process, and I later joined the final screening and awards ceremony via Zoom. A few months later, I received an invitation to the IV International Film Festival "KinoKot at VDNKh" at the Sber pavilion at the Russia International Exhibition and Forum, where the winners of the first KinoKot were gathered. Our films were screened there, viewers were able to ask us questions, and I also met a producer with whom I am now attending pitching events, defending a joint project. Would you recommend our Film Festival to other creators? If so, what advice would you give to other participants? If you're debating whether to submit your work, don't think — just act! The stories of Sofia, Artem, and Alexey show that KinoKot is more than just a festival. It's a community that values sincerity, supports creators, and helps art find its response. The festival gives creators faith in themselves and creates a strong emotional connection that inspires new projects. You can explore other success stories in our group: https://vk.com/kinokotfest