The Golden Unicorn Awards

The Golden Unicorn Awards are a set of awards for artistic excellence in film which recognises achievements of Russian cinematography and international film-makers creating Russian-themed films.^[1] The awards were established by Filip Perkon in 2016^[2] in London, United Kingdom. The ceremony takes places annually, following Russian Film Week.^[3][4] The next Golden Unicorn Awards will be held in December, 2019.

The mission of The Golden Unicorn awards is bringing contemporary Russian cinematography and modern Russian culture to the attention of a wider international audience. The awards also aim to improve European-Russian cultural exchange, encouraging distribution of Russian films abroad and motivating international filmmakers to produce films about Russia by introducing them to the Russian audience.^[5][6]

Golden Unicorn statuette, made of Bohemian glass and handcrafted in the Czech Republic

Filip Perkon, founder of the Golden Unicorn Awards and Russian Film Week

Eligibility[]

Feature-length, animation, short and documentary films should be produced in Russia and released 18 months prior to the start of the Russian Film Week. International films do not have to be produced in Russia but have to be Russian-themed. The film producers have to submit the films electronically or in DCP format with English subtitles through the Russian Film Week or the Golden Unicorn Awards FilmFreeway portal no later than November 1 of the relevant year.^[6]

The Nomination Committee[]

The Nomination Committee review the submissions and select the films for consideration of the Jury. The Nomination Committee is independent from the Jury.^[1]

The Nomination Committee 2018:^[7]

• Valeri Jerlitsyn
• Olga Miloshunas
• Anna Shalashina

The Jury[]

The independent Jury consists of film industry professionals, such as filmmakers, critics, actors, professors, producers.

The Jury 2018:^[8]

• Brian Cox (actor) – Actor, known for his appearance in Braveheart, Doctor Who, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Troy, Golden Globe nominated, Scottish BAFTA nominated, winner of Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor
• Olga Kurylenko – Actress, known for her appearance in “Paris, le t’aims”, Hitman, Quantum of Solace
• Andrew Jack – Moscow correspondent from 1990 and bureau chief at the Financial Times during 1998–2004, chairman of Pushkin house during 2010–2016
• Stuart Brown – BFI’s Head of Programme & Acquisitions
• Nancy Condee – Professor of Film at University of Pittsburgh, served as a juror at the Kinotavr Film Festival
• David P. Kelly – Executive film producer, BAFTA voting member, member of the European Film Academy
• Adam Freudenheim – Publisher and Managing Director at Pushkin Press
• Debbie McWilliams – International Casting Director, has cast 13 James Bond films, Angels and Demons, Centurion, the Silent Storm and others. She is a member of the Casting Directors Guild, the Academy of Motion Pictures and a chairperson of the International Casting Directors Network
• Carola Ash – Creative producer, Director of Europe at Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

The Jury 2017:^[9]

• Brian Cox – Actor, known for his appearance in Braveheart, Doctor Who, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Troy, Golden Globe nominated, Scottish BAFTA nominated, winner of Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor
• Andrew Jack – Moscow correspondent from 1990 and bureau chief at the Financial Times during 1998–2004, chairman of Pushkin house during 2010–2016
• Stuart Brown – BFI’s Head of Programme & Acquisitions
• Nancy Condee – Professor of Film at University of Pittsburgh, served as a juror at the Kinotavr Film Festival
• David P. Kelly – Executive film producer, BAFTA voting member, member of the European Film Academy
• Michael Bird – the British Council’s Director Russia
• Peter Bradshaw – Writer and Chief film critic for Guardian, contributor to BBC One, Esquire, Radio 4 and the London Review of Books
• Elliot Grove – Film producer, founder of the Raindance Film Festival and the British Independent Film Awards
• Anna MacDonald – Co-founder and principal of the London Film Academy

The Ceremony[]

The Ceremony ^[10] takes place every year in a form of a charitable gala following the Russian Film Week. The Golden Unicorn Awards collaborated with the Naked Heart Foundation^[11] to fundraise GBP 160,000 ^[12] during the Russian Film Week and the main ceremony in 2018.^[13] The awards also had raised GBP 85,000 ^[14] for the Gift of Life Charity ^[15][3] in 2016.

Golden Unicorn Symbol[]

The symbol of golden unicorn was chosen as a common notion for Russian and British nations. Golden Unicorn was depicted on the Russian Coat of Arms along with St. George in the XVI century Russia.^[16] Golden Unicorn is one of the symbols of Great Britain.^[17]

Nominations[]

The Golden Unicorn is awarded in the following nominations:^[18]

• Best Feature Film
• Best Screenplay
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Short Film
• Best Documentary
• Best Animated Film
• Best Foreign Film with a Russian connection

Special awards:

• Best Contribution to Promoting Russian Culture Abroad
• Best Emerging Talent
• General Producer's Award

Winners[]

References[]