Media Briefing for I am a Teacher

　　A media briefing for I am a Teacher, a Russian film shortlisted to this year’s Tiantan Award, was held at Beijing International Hotel on April 22 at 9:30 am. Director Sergey Mokritskiy, male lead actor and producer Aleksandr Kovtunets and Chinese associate producer Gao Yue all made an appearance.

　　I am a Teacher, a war film, is a gift to the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). It centers around the unfolding of the story of the main character Pavel Zubov. Pavel is a school teacher who considers his job to be his mission in life. He believes in basic human values like love and family. However, the village Pavel lives in is surrounded by fascists. A series of events have changed his perception of life, forcing him to face the cruelty of reality. During the war, the enemies gradually reveal their true colors and Pavel must make a difficult decision: should he linger our a feeble existence under the gun barrel of the invaders or should he fight for his family, love, country, ideals and beliefs?

　　Director Sergey Mokritskiy was born on February 18, 1961, in Polyanovka of Zhytomyr region (Ukrainian SSR) in the former Soviet Union. In 1991, he graduated from the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. He is a member of Russia’s Cinematographers Union and a member of the European Federation of Cinematographers IMAGO (R.G.C.), he is also responsible for the film I am a Teacher. As a director, he is known for such films as Special Group (2007), Churchill (2009), Protest Day (2012), Battle for Sevastopol (2015). Battle for Sevastopol was screened at last year’s Russian International Film Fest.

　　Lead actor and producer Aleksandr Kovtunets was born in 1973 in Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR. In 2011 he finished his studies at the Drama School of German Sidokov. He is a Russian actor, producer, TV host, and President of the Nationwide Program “Within the Family”. He is known for such films as Foreign Body (2014), Country of Good Children (2013), and Sophie (2007). He is a receiver of many awards, including a Diploma for Strengthening the Relationship between Russia and Lithuania (1997) and a Diploma of Alexy II for the film Sophie (2007).