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Minsk International Film Festival Listapad


The Minsk International Film Festival Listapad is a large film forum bringing together famous filmmakers, actors, cinema fans.

Listapad solemn opening ceremonyThe program of the Minsk International Film Festival Listapad is rich and uniqie. The main competition and the competition among young directors feature story films and documentaries. The Children's and Youth Film Festival Listapadzik is held within the framework of the festival. The MIFF’s program is always very eventful: out-of-competition and retrospective shows of movies, creative meetings, master-classes, presentations and exhibitions.

The best movies are presented at the Minsk Film Festival. Festival participants and laureate movies of international film forums are the guests of the main festival competition. The audience and film experts’ recognized, most promising young author’s debut films, are presented at the young directors film competition.

History of the Festival

Listapad honorary chairman Rostislav JankowskiThe First Festival Forum Listapad was held in Minsk in 1994. It was known as the international movie festival of the CIS countries and the Baltic States Listapad till 2002. Cinematographers, journalists and audience were the members of the festival’s jury. Nikita Mikhalkov's Anna: 6-18 was very much appreciated at the festival in 1994.

In 1996, the Audience Award was the main festival prize. But since 2010 the winner has been chosen by professional jury.

Since 2001 Listapad solemn opening ceremony is traditionally held at the Palace of the Republic, Belarus’ main stage.

In 2009, the tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies were sold for the first time.

Listapad red carpet The Minsk International Film Festival Listapad acquired a new status in 2011 after the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) granted it a FIAPF temporary accreditation.

In 2013, following the probationary period, the Minsk International Film Festival Listapad got the permanent accreditation from the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) in recognition of the high quality of the festival. Listapad was added to the list of the world’s most prestigious film festivals among which are the famous film festivals in Berlin, Venice, Cannes, Montreal and Moscow. Since 2017 FIPRESCI has presented its awards at Listapad as well.

The annual festival attendance is over 40,000 people. Listapad has hosted such cinema celebrities as Fanny Ardant, Claire Denis, Andrei Zviagintsev, Emir Kusturica, Krzysztof Zanussi, Brillante Mendoza, Denis Cote, Sergei Loznitsa, and others.

Listapad’s jury and awards

Listapad award ceremonySix jury panels work at the MIFF Listapad, each announces the winners and gives prizes. The most valuable awards are Listapad Gold (the award for The Best Film), Listapad Silver (awarded by international  film press for Film as Art Phenomenon), Listapad Bronze (awarded according to viewership votes for the Best Story Film).

Prestigious awards are given for documentaries, children and youth films at Listapadzik.

The special prize of President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko "For Cinema Humanism and Spirituality" is presented at the Festival.

Minsk International Film Festival Listapad 2023

The 29th edition of Minsk International Film Festival Listapad will be held on 17-24 November 2023.

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