The Nika Prize is used by the Russian Academy of Motion Picture Sciences to mark the most successful films. In 2018, the ceremony will be 30 years old. How was this award established and which celebrity has received it in recent years?
Institution History
The Nika Prize is the brainchild of the USSR Union of Filmmakers. For the first time, the award ceremony was held in 1988. Then the film “Repentance” by Tengiz Abduladze became the champion, and he won six statuettes at once. The award also marked the famous cartoon The Return of the Prodigal Parrot.
The founder and author of the idea was Julius Guzman. He holds the position of artistic director and permanent host of the show.
At different times, the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts, whose members determine the nominees, was Viktor Merezhko, Eldar Ryazanov, Alexei Batalov. Now this position is occupied by Andrei Konchalovsky.
As for the choice of winners, previously the best of the best were determined by all participants in the cinematic confederation. But in the 90s, the voting procedure was changed: it became secret and the number of voters was reduced to a limited group of people. In this regard, many express distrust in the selection of winners, because everything actually depends on several members of the council and the presidium.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Nika turned into a national Russian film award. Where is the Nika Prize awarded? Every year, the ceremony is held in a new concert hall.
History of the statuette
The author of the Nika Prize is
Julius Guzman. But the statuette was created by a sculptor named Mikulsky.
For a long time, the organizers could not decide on the design of the award and the name of the project. In the end, the figurine took the form of an attractive girl with wings behind her back, and they called her Nika in honor of the famous goddess who bestows victory.
Highscores
The Nika award, like any other awards in different years, set its personal records.
For example, the greatest number of statuettes was won by the films “Taurus” by Alexander Sokurov, “Horde” by Andrei Proshkin and “It is Hard to Be a God” by Alexei German.
But the most nominated were the pictures “Horde” and “Leviathan” by Andrei Zvyagintsev: each picture was nominated in 11 categories. Among the champions is also the film "The Thief" by Pavel Chukhrai, who was nominated for 10 awards, and received 5.
The following paintings received 6 awards in different years:
- "Repentance" Abduladze;
- "Promised Heaven" by Ryazanov;
- "Prisoner of the Caucasus" and "Mongol" by Bodrov;
- "Khrustalev, the car!" Herman
- The "island" of Lunging.
Do not waste time in vain and other figures of cinema. Operator Yuri Klimenko took the Nika award home 5 times, filming Cosmos as a Premonition, Diary of His Wife and Edge.
The director Alexander Sokurov received the award 5 times for his work in the films Taurus and Faust.
A total of 4 statuettes marked the work of actor Sergei Garmash. Only Nina Ruslanova can boast of their successes.
Laureates 2015
The Nika Prize is awarded annually. In 2015, the film “It Is Hard to Be a God” made by A. German became the “king of the ball”. Firstly, the tape was recognized as the best, in terms of directorial work, as well as the artistic qualities of this feature film. Secondly, the costume designer, sound engineer and cameramen who worked on the painting by Herman also received a statuette. And, of course, the leading actor
Leonid Yarmolnik also received the coveted award.
The second favorite was the social drama Leviathan, shot by Zvyagintsev. Of the cast, the owners of the statuettes were Elena Lyadova and Roman Madyanov. Also, the picture was nominated for another 9 awards.
The film “Fool” by Yuri Bykov also attracted attention. The tape was dedicated to the memory of the famous director Alexei Balabanov. “Nick” was handed over to the female supporting actor Daria Moroz, and the director himself was awarded a figurine for screenwriting.
Laureates 2014
The 2014 Nika Prize was awarded at the metropolitan Academic Operetta Theater. The ceremony took place just on the eve of the centenary of the birth of acting actor Vladimir Zeldin, so he received the award in the nomination “Honor and Dignity”.
Valery Todorovsky was awarded an award for his nostalgic series “The Thaw,” which was a special achievement for the director in the field of television cinema.
The most successful feature film was recognized as "Geographer drank the globe" with Konstantin Khabensky in the title role. But in the nomination devoted to the best projects of the CIS and Baltic countries, two films were singled out at once: the Crimean Tatar film “Haytarma” about the fate of the famous pilot Amet-Khan Sultan during the deportation period, as well as the Lithuanian melodrama “Excursionist” Audrius Yusenas.
The most successful director was recognized by Alexander Veledinsky, along with him prizes were received by the leading actors in his project - Elena Lyadova and Konstantin Khabensky.