The ARCTIC OPEN 2023 unfolds as a two-stage event. Stage One, ARCTIC OPEN – CHILDREN, spanned the fall break (November 2-5) and screened its films in Arkhangelsk, Novodvinsk, and Konosha. Stage Two – Official Selection – spans December 7-10 and covers Arkhangelsk, Severodvinsk, Novodvinsk, Nyandoma, and Severoonezhsk.

Shortlisted for the ARCTIC OPEN – CHILDREN were 19 films from seven countries (Russia, China, Peru, Denmark, Iran, Turkey, and Italy). Of the 1,228 submissions from 184 countries, the selection panel had selected 110.

The Official Selection features 58 films from 17 countries. Of them, 11 are feature length films, 23 are documentaries and 24 are shorts, made in Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, USA, Singapore, Canada, Netherlands, and co-produced with France, Latvia. One cross-cutting theme of this year’s program is Port City Stories and has a direct link to Kinoport ARCTIC OPEN – the socio-cultural project supported by the Russian Ministry of Culture and the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.

The 7th ARCTIC OPEN International Film Festival will have its opening ceremony on December 7 on the stage of the Arkhangelsk Drama Theater with Saint-Petersburg’s SweetHotJazzBand as a special highlight. The performance, called Port Town Music, features songs understandable to people of all ages, with the band’s own pieces fitting in the classic jazz selection just seamlessly, giving it a modern flavor. At its opening night, ARCTIC OPEN IFF will hold the award ceremony for winners of its Make Your Own Movie quest.