The Antares Film Festival invites films where labor is not the background, but the heart of the story. We are waiting for talented works in which the hero's profession becomes the basis of the drama: characters, conflicts, dreams and achievements are revealed through it. The focus is on people whose hands and minds create everyday feats: steelworkers and teachers, doctors and farmers, engineers and fishermen. Our goal is to show how labor shapes people and people change the world. To give a voice to those whose professions are often “behind the scenes”, but without whom our everyday life is impossible.

The Antares International Film Festival is a large-scale cultural project designed to create a unique platform for understanding and promoting the image of a man of labour in contemporary cinema.

Awards & Prizes

The film festival laureates will receive film festival diplomas and Antares statuettes made in metal by the famous sculptor Grigory Pototsky.

The Antares bronze statuette is awarded to:

Grand Prix of the Antares Film Festival:
Best feature film
Best Short Film
Best documentary film

Diplomas of the film festival and reduced copies of ‘Antares’ are awarded:

In the full-length feature film competition:
Best Screenplay
Best Director
Best Cinematography
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Song / Soundtrack / Music
Audience Award in the Full Metre Competition

In the Short Feature Film Competition:
Best Short Film Script
Best Short Film Director
Best Cinematography
Best Actor in a Short Film
Best Actress in a Short Film
Best Song / Soundtrack in a Short Film
Audience Award in the Short Film Competition

In the Documentary Film Competition:
Best Documentary Screenplay
Best Documentary Film Director
Best Cinematography
Best song / soundtrack in a documentary film

Rules & Terms

The dates for accepting applications are from 1 April 2025 to 1July 2025 (for films produced in 2025, it is possible to submit a rough cut for selection).
There is no fee for submitting an application to participate in the film festival.

FESTIVAL PROGRAMME. INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION:
The film festival accepts films where the hero or heroes are inextricably linked to their professional activity in achieving their goal, reflecting the diversity of professions, working life, heroism and challenges faced by people of labour in various fields of activity.

- feature films (up to 120 minutes)
- short feature films (up to 30 minutes)
- documentaries (up to 40 minutes)

The films selected for each nomination are evaluated by a jury of at least 3 (three) persons in each competition, consisting of film historians, film critics and leading film professionals (directors, producers, cameramen, screenwriters, etc.).

The list of films selected for the competition programme will be published on our website no later than 2 (two) weeks before the festival.

PROMOTION
The participants of the film festival agree to provide elements of the film (including, but not limited to: footage, photos from the set, texts related to the film, trailers, teasers, cuts) for use by journalists accredited at the Antares Film Festival, on TV (broadcast, cable, satellite), in Internet media, in print media.