Totally Focused: Movie Nights at Pokrovka
In April, the HSE building on Pokrovka hosted two movie nights: one on the Day of Russian Animation, and other on the Day of Culture. The events allowed international students to get acquainted with Russian culture through works of cinematography. Each student enjoyed popcorn while studying detailed information about the movie on special printouts.
KikoRiki, originally named Smeshariki in Russian, is a Russian animated television series consisting of 307 episodes with a length of 6 minutes and 30 seconds each, aimed at children but also popular among adults. The first episode premiered in Russia on December 22, 2003. The series includes complex themes and specific cultural references. It is aired in 60 countries, translated to 15 languages and has an everyday audience of 50 million people. The audience in China even surpasses the audience in Russia.
I really loved movie night! It is a new and exciting experience to watch this classic Russian cartoon with so many students and eat delicious popcorn together. The cartoon is full of short but interesting and touching stories, which reminds me of my own childhood. One of my favourite episodes is about celebrating the coming of new year. I also made some new friends here. Thank you for organising this event and I would be happy to join again!
Ivan Vasilievich Changes His Profession is a 1973 Soviet comic science fiction film directed by Leonid Gaidai. The story begins in 1973 Moscow, where engineer Aleksandr ‘Shurik’ Timofeyev is working on a time machine in his apartment. By accident, he sends Ivan Vasilievich Bunsha, superintendent of his apartment building, and George Miloslavsky, a burglar, back into the time of tsar Ivan IV the Terrible.
Everything was well organised, all the way down to the popcorn. I had this very movie (Ivan Vasilievich Changes His Profession) on my watchlist so when I saw the opportunity, I seized it hoping to watch it alongside others. The movie was fun to watch, with many moments of laughter, especially the chase at the palace. I was amazed at one point however... This was when the real Ivan the Terrible couldn't recognise himself in the painting on the wall at the apartment. I thought the logical thing that anyone would have done after seeing the future, would be to alter it for the better. On the other hand, the imposters at the palace clearly revealed their carelessness about important issues such as territorial integrity and foreign relations. I enjoyed the movie theme songs most of all.
After the film screening, the participants had a conversation about their impressions of the movies, students got to know each other and even exchanged their contacts.
Follow the announcements on the HSE website for future events.
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