Karen Shakhnazarov
Russian Retrospective: Film director, Scriptwriter, and Producer
Shakhnazarov is a leading Russian Filmmaker with a true sense of modernity. His ability to effectively punctuate significant moments is paralleled only by his capacity to entertain, enabling his audience to empathise with a variety of characters and their respective plights. His films are well known to both Russian and foreign spectators and are the recipient of prizes at the world’s most prestigious film festivals and forums, making Shakhnazarov one of the most commercially successful directors in Russia.

He has received an array of outstanding awards including, the People’s Artist Award of the Russian Federation (2002), the State Award of the Russian Federation, Lenin Komsomol Award (1986), Vasilev Brothers State Award of RSFSR (1988), and is currently a member of the European Film Academy. In 1975, Shakhnazarov graduated from the Film Directing Department of the Moscow State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK, studio of I. Talankin).

Since 1976 he has been a film director of the Mosfilm Studios (one of the oldest Film Studios in Europe), and from 1991-1998 served as Chairman of the “Courier” Studio of Mosfilm Cinema Concern. In 1998, Shakhnazarov was appointed president and CEO of Mosfilm Studios, where he has managed to pull the studios out of a long-term crisis and revive it as an attractive production facility for movies and TV-series.

Nicholas Maksymow
Festival Director, Russian Resurrection Film Festival
Managing Director, Fairmont Aged Care Centre

Nicholas Maksymow graduated from the University of NSW in 1995 obtaining a Bachelor of Arts with Honours and immediately went to work as a Researcher at Federal Parliament House in Canberra.  Initially he worked as a volunteer for Philip Ruddock MP, before taking up a Research position with Alexander Downer MP, drafting coalition foreign policy.  Nicholas then moved back to Sydney and worked for over 2 years with the State Department for Education and Training, conducting projects and operations for the State’s Community Languages Schools Program.  During this time Nicholas got married and completed the first of his postgraduate degrees – Master of International Relations, also from the University of NSW.  Nicholas then made a complete career transformation and moved into the Aged Care industry managing Fairmont Aged Care - he has found the industry work to be challenging yet rewarding at the same time.  From 1997-1999 Nicholas served as President of the Russian Ethnic Community Council of NSW and from 2001-2004 as Board Director of The Russian Club.  In 2006 he completed his MBA at the Australian Graduate School of Management (combined Universities of Sydney & NSW Degree).  Nicholas has two young children who are still too young to attend the festival! The Russian Resurrection Film Festival was instigated by Nicholas in 2004, and plays nationally to all walks of life with a passion for Russian culture. The inaugural festival was noted by the NSW Premiers Department as being one of the most successful in film festival history.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Susan Hoerlein, Publicity and Promotions Manager, Tsuki
T: (02) 8354 1830  M: 0422 553 343  E: susan@tsuki.com.au

Jessica De Boer, Publicity Assistant, Tsuki
T: (02) 8354 1830  M: 0423 190 317  E: jessica@tsuki.com.au

SPONSORSHIP
Edweana Wenkart, Director, Tsuki
T: (02) 8354 1830  M: 0407 663 156  E: edweana@tsuki.com.au

Jane Cormack, Sponsorship Assistant, Tsuki
T: (02) 8354 1830  M: 0405 148 491 E: jane@tsuki.com.au