big russian apple

2012-01-31T14:29:00.001-08:00

A Night of Celebrating Music, Passion, and Life

We attended jazz musician Igor Butman’s concert at The Kremlin in Moscow on October 27th 2011, along with another 5,500 enthusiastic fans. The special evening included performances by the stunning Natalie Cole, whom we got to know personally over the days we spent there, and Wynton Marsalis, a long-time friend of Butman’s. All were honored to be there, as it was Butman’s birthday and, we must say, he sure knows how to celebrate.

The mood was casual, much like a live jam session, free of letters from officials or from the president, which is customary in Russian concerts dedicated to artist’s big birthday. Butman hosted and ran the show; his sense of humor and talent for public speaking colored the evening with laughs and engaged even the farthest row from the stage.

The concert opened with igor Butman playing about the well-known Russian folklore hero, Prince Igor, which delighted the crowd. He later played for Princess Oksana, in honor of his wife, who sat in the first row. The night’s repertoire was often themed with songs that related to Russian culture, and when popular pop singer Larisa Dolina sang, Butman played a famous piece about Moscow nights with Soviet tunes. The audience was entertained, as well as deeply touched, by the on-going tributes made throughout the night.

Natalie Cole, too, was moved by the energy in the colossal concert house, and sang more songs than were expected of her. She inspired everyone in the audience with her humility, passion, and warmth. At one point, she asked Butman, “Did anyone sing you happy birthday yet?” We all knew that even if someone had, we were about to join Ms. Cole as she celebrated the honored musician once again. It was a beautiful gesture, appropriate for an evening of genuine love for music.

The audience left with a sense of having taken part in a rare experience, where all musicians present felt comfortable in their element and had one common goal: to celebrate life with their artistic gifts. It is a memorable occurrence when not only does the audience receive an inspiring evening of music, but the performers, too, are given a chance to live up to their full potential. We dare say that Igor Butman is a modern-day renaissance man, honoring his many talents, serving his community of fellow musicians, and giving us — the audience — a chance to open our hearts to the life breathed into his music.

Join Hands and Dance New York!

2012-01-29T16:16:00.000-08:00

This pastweekend New York City might just have shed its "angry" and"solitary" stereotypes for a few hours as locals and tourists alikewere seen holding hands and dancing in a circle on the streets in variousbustling areas of the city. The underlying force behind this phenomenon was thefolk dance troupe from the Caucasus region, TheCircassian Circle.

Adorned intraditional Circassian costumes the troupe took to New York City's streets tonot only enchant the public with its performance but to attempt a trulycourageous act: stop busy New Yorkers in their tracks. Yet this daredevil stuntbrought people out of their shells, out of their comfort zones, and enabledthem to leave their role as a spectator. The sight of people dancing togetherin the streets could have melted even the most jaded New Yorker's heart despitethe grim, cold weather. After all, when all the words coming in on the news intoday's difficult times leave us dejected and shaking our heads indisheartenment, actions that bring forth the elasticity of human spirit becomethe driving force of our perseverance.

Thisvision of typically hastening locals dancing in the streets could only becompared to a mass-hypnosis where the mesmerized observer had no choice but topartake in the spell-binding energies emanating from the troupe. Not even New York City's finest dared to breakthe spell. The Circassian Circle performedwithout any objections or interruptions in heavily police regulated areasincluding Times Square, Columbus Circle, and Rockefeller Center.

The Circassian Circle features twentyperformers in a combination of dance and traditional ethnic instruments of theCaucasus. The troupe merges history and contemporary choreography as anexploration of one of the world's oldest surviving cultures -- Circassia. Accompanied by live music and lit drums, the showportrays this ancient culture while connecting the mystery of the past, theappeal of the present, and the wonders of the future. In a seamless blend of classical andcontemporary choreography, alongside evergreen dance hits it depicts thechivalry of yore with the masculinity of sword dancers and modesty in the downcasteyes of the ladies.

The troupewas in town for the Global Performance Arts Marketplace and Conference held bythe Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) which took place this pastweekend at the Hilton Hotel. Chiefly produced by Adyghe -- a Circassian culturefund -- and Unicycle Productions, TheCircassian Circle was the spotlightat the conference. Notable interest from tour presenters was taken of thetroupe after the audience transformed into instant screaming fans. Severalpresenters have already hinted at Broadway opportunities.

Accordingto The Circassian Circle's Founder,Robert Sarlap, "The authenticity and originality of my culture is embodiedin the Circassian Circle. Among mygreatest aspirations is for this culture's individuality to resonate across all societies -- to bring diversity and unityinto one eternal circle." And that is precisely what the troupe did as ittook time to dance for the public in between its performances at the APAPconference. The troupe literally united all of the cultures found on New YorkCity's streets, joining their hands, and coming together in two undeniablyuniversal languages: music and dance.

2011-12-05T09:53:00.001-08:00

A Conversation With Tilda Swinton (Times Talks)

We at via3pr attended the event “A Conversation with Tilda Swinton” last week, where blogger Melena Ryzik hosted a Q&A with the Academy-Award winning actor. The initial focus of the event was to talk about Swinton’s upcoming role in the new drama, Let's Talk About Kevin, but it was her essence and humanity that stole the show. Intelligent, elegant, and always grounded, being in her presence was a gift in itself; she is an absolutely special human being.

She claims she is not an actor, but rather something in between an artist and a clown. Although her acting has captured and touched audiences for decades, one is inclined to agree with her. She truly is an artist, who chooses people to bring to life, rather than roles to play. As for being a clown, well, her sense of humor, too, had us completely smitten. When asked about her faith, she had us all surprised as she replied that she has faith in two things: nature, and her company. The expected answers—love, her children, and people—were unnecessary. Her being emanates her love for others, she doesn’t need to mention it. Her company, however, is what she needs in order to create meaningful work. Without it, working becomes pointless.

Although she refers to herself as, “a tourist in industrial movie making,” she is receiving international acclaim for her role in We Need to Talk About Kevin, a film that digs deeply into what it is like for the mother of a perpetrator of a Columine-like school massacre. Swinton said she understood her character because every parent has these fears, and you cannot edit yourself with your children. She looks at her children and sees that they are her, just like her character, who struggles with feelings of guilt and regret about her son’s actions.

The daughter of a general, Swinton embodies a balance of grace and strength. She told us that when she was a young girl, her 73-year-old grandmother remarked after the death of her second husband, “Ah, now, finally, I can start living my life.” Those words stayed with Swinton, and she made it her mission to remain faithful to her inner self. “Sometimes life is a detour to your Self,” she said, and a breath of inspiration hit the audience. In front of us stood a woman who was so true to herself, it shed a light on all those surrounding her, melting the masks that we so carefully construct in daily life. As she so wisely put it, “Life is too short, and it’s on.” A motto we are adopting here at via3pr, as well as in life.

2011-11-10T05:52:00.000-08:00

No Part is Too Small, No Dream is Too Big

A Documentary Tribute to Boris Leskin

Boris Leskin in "Everything is Illuminated"

An actor in a leading role iseasily remembered and recognized as an integral part of experiencing a movie orplay; they even become part of how we reference the work of art they starredin. “That movie with so-and-so,” we say. An actor with a supporting role, oreven less than a supporting role, is seldom given the same acknowledgment. Suchis the case of Russian-born actor Boris Leskin, who, at age 87 and after alifetime of supporting roles in Russian and American films, is now beingrecognized by director Edward Staroselsky with a documentary in his honor.

Leskin was born in St.Petersburg and after high school graduation went to Sovie Finish Conflict thenfought in World War II and in the Japan War before pursuing a career in acting,an idea he ventured into because a friend of his was doing it and he thought,“Why not?” He found that the Soviet Union bound him to an inauthentic life, however,and so he planned to leave for Israel. At that time, due to rigid rules of theSoviet Union, having such a plan put him in a very compromised position, and hesuddenly found himself unable to get any kind of work at all. His friends andfamily could not visit or call him because the KGB would follow them andconsequences could be severe.

Although no one would employhim out of fear, he persisted that he could do anything he wanted to if he werefree, and preferred liberty to luxury. Finally, he came to New York, and acquireda license as a taxi driver, which he never used, because he was cast in The Falcon and the Snowman, a moviestarring Sean Penn, where he played a Soviet spy. He went on to work on 13 morefilms, in roles both big and small.

As the documentary shows us,Leskin went from being a war specialist, acting only under specific orders, toa free man and a recognized actor, playing memorable roles and contributing togreat stories. He became a teacher at NYU for a while, and received criticalacclaim for his part in the 2005 movie, Everythingis Illuminated. He also had a thing for balé dancers, and eventuallymarried one, a woman who deeply believes in him.

Sergey Ursky

One of the elements thatmakes this documentary truly amazing is the participation of a genius Russianactor, Segey Urskiy, who tells us the hero’s story. Having worked together inthe Leningradskiy Bolshoi Dramaticheskiy theater, they weregreat friends, and Urskiy’s presence lends the documentary an invaluablepersonal touch.

Edward Staroselsky, Direcor of the documentaryt

Director Staroselsky made this film out of his love for art, toshow audiences how a person can be anything they want to be, and go throughmany journeys in one life, as long as they are open to every experience. Muchto his surprise, the documentary has already received the top prize at the YaltaFilm Forum and is on its way to great success. Being that his film has no directpolitical agenda, which tends to be the standard recipe for criticalacknowledgement, its recognition doubles as a testament to the power of trueart.

Staroselsky clearlybelieves that there is no expiration date for success, happiness, and creativity.Not only has he honored Boris Leskin’s life and career, he has sent out themessage that one can always pursue a dream, as the ending shot of his filmshows Leskin exercising and taking care of himself. At 87, he’s still working,and he’s still dreaming, leaving audiences to question, am I living to my fullest potential? Small wonder that Staroselsky, upon sharing his movie with Irina, presidentof via3pr and acclaimed Russian actress, asked her, “So, when are you going tostart auditioning again?”

Cargo

2011-10-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

Yan Visinberg, filmdirector

A beautifuland ambitious young Russian woman is told she can be a model in America; allshe has to do is pay $3,000 and cross the border through Mexico. Already, wecringe at the familiarity of the circumstances, foreseeing the shatteringoutcome: she is thrown into the brutal world of human trafficking. Russian-speakingdirector Yan Vizinberg’s “Cargo” is a raw and intimate portrayal of an all toocommon story, told predominately through the victim, Natasha (Natasha Rinis),and Sayed (Sayed Badreya), the driver in charge of her.

For the largerpart of the film, we see Natasha and Sayed in the car as he takes her to a frighteninglyill fate, justifying his actions in his belief that she was a prostitute inRussia and therefore deserves this. Her continuous attempts to escape and fightfor her life lead him to restrict her as much as possible, moving her from theback of the truck to the passenger’s seat, bound and motionless. In thisunlikely setting, however, the two characters get to know each other and startto see one another’s humanity.

The performancesby Rinis and Badreya were seamless. It’s difficult to believe this was Rinis’first role. Vizinberg said in the Q&A that followed the screening that hesaw 145 actresses but the minute Rinis started her audition, he knew she wasthe one. Badreya is no rookie himself, having done many films in Hollywood, butas an Egyptian, he seldom gets to play a character other than a terrorist. Hewas excited to be part of this movie, even though, he joked, he didn’t even gethis own trailer.

It was abeautiful and touching film, and we felt there was only one unnecessary plottwist towards the end. After Sayed reveals that he lost his son because hecould not pay for a transplant he needed, Natasha confesses that she was not awaitress in Russia, but rather a stripper. The implied undertone is that he wasright to judge her an immoral woman, but it destroys our sympathy for her andseems misplaced. Even if she were a stripper, human trafficking is a humanrights issue and a person’s lifestyle does not sentence them to a consequenceof this magnitude, but it didn’t fit with the character we had known until thatpoint. The wide-eyed, big-dreaming girl we see in the beginning of the film isthe one we root for, and it seemed senseless to take away her purity.

Visinbeg, whowas inspired to create this film after he got a call from a trafficker whileworking for television in New York, knew he had to address this topic. Morethan 17,000 women and children are trafficked as sex slaves every year, andmany of them don’t live to tell their stories. We were proud to see aRussian-speaking director receiving the much-deserved recognition forthis important and poignant film.

“Cargo” iscurrently playing at the Quad Cinema on 34 West 13^th st inGreenwhich Village, New York. Visit their website for more information and tofind out about future screenings. cargo movie.

Irina Shmeleva and Yan Visinberg

the weather outside is beautiful

2011-10-05T13:18:00.001-07:00

The fourth Russian Documentary Film Festival in New York was held September 30-October 2, 2011. I was invited by director Marina Razbezhkina to her documentary’s screening while at the opening reception the night before. Marina’s new documentary is called ‘The Weather Outside is Beautiful.’ Alexandra Sviridova, famous writer/filmmaker herself was one of the judges who gave Marina flowers and said it was rare to see when the filmaker and the heroin of the movie could talk like peers.

The story is about famous modern Russian writer Lyudmila Petrushevskaya— her thoughts, revelations and the things she is passionate about. The camera followed her around for 2 years to make this documentary come to life. It turns out that Razbezhkina and the writer (Petrushevskaya) aren’t speaking at the moment. It was very difficult for Marina to film Petrushevskaya because she’s not used to be on camera. Lyudmila had rarely given an interview before doing this film. It shocked her to see herself on the screen and because of this their 35 year-old friendship is broken.

Nonetheless, after seeing what they both produced, I am truly inspired. It’s rare that you get all the emotions and senses in a single documentary. There was sadness with her relationship with her mother and joy, love, tears, motivation and humor with the world around her which the filmmaker brought to her audience. In Russia we have the saying, “If someone is talented then they are talented in every aspect of life.” Petrushevskaya is beyond gifted. She’s not only wonderful writer, but teacher, painter, and now a restaurant singer. ludmila petrushevskaya\s singing

The story is very raw. It tells all about the ways Petrushevskaya teaches her students, her decision to start restaurant singing and the loving ways she spends times with her children. For example, she shared with us at the meet up that every evening she will tell her kids a story. But their input is important to her so she will ask them to tell her what the story should be about. Her son once told her to just make up a story about a wall. Lyudmila had no problem making up a creative story about this great big wall and what happens to it. She can tell a story about anything.

There are hilarious themes in the documentary that connected to the opening scene when Lyudmila chooses a voice coach at random and he is drunk when she meets him. The whole exchange and advice is hilarious to watch. The voice coach gives her many techniques to show her how to sing like an American. He tells her that Americans over do it when they sing and she must learn how to do that as well.

Another technique he tells her at the end of their meeting is to connect to a specific person in the audience and then while singing send all of her love to that person. This concept was so new to her that she wasn’t sure she could do something like that. But she pulled off by picking a wall socket to sing to. Believe it or not, it was incredibly believable. She told the socket she loved it and wished she’d met it sooner. Now that is dedication. The voice coach might have been drunk but he taught her with all seriousness and Petrushevskaya who was taking the lesson seriously too could ignore his drunken state.

The entire movie was a revelation for me. It made me think, “This is what I like to see and what I’d want to do.” I don’t want to be a restaurant singer but it got me thinking of things I’m good at and want to pursue. It also has the type of serious humor that stirs something inside of you to its very core. Petrushevskaya is a natural at all she does. Her incredible talent is displayed all over the screen. The film is a must see. I would recommend it to anyone I know. Its creative and that creativity can transcend time. The documentary is memorable and isn’t that, after all, what every director wants for their film?

At the end of the movie I thought, Oh My Gosh, I love it and I was thankful that the movie gave me this happiness and joy. Seeing someone so wise and having the brilliance that Perushevskaya aposse, it does something to inside of me. I am changed.

Studio Six Presents Winter by Evgeny Grishkovets

2011-09-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

Two soldiers appear on a pillow-covered stage, painting for us the image of a snowy fallen Soviet Union, and find they are in a fairy-tale forest, enchanted with traditional Russian folklore figures. So begins Winter, a play by contemporary Russian playwright Evgeny Grishkovets, presented in English for the first time by Studio Six of the Moscow Art Theater. The soldiers are then met by a Snow Maiden, played by the wonderful Nicole Kontelefa, who baffles us as she goes on to play a mother, a girl, a lover, and other characters. Her energy and talent, alongside equally talented actor Matt Raines, become the true enchantment of the play.

Directed by Vasanth Santosham, Winter takes on the difficult tasks of depicting war, winter, New Year’s Eve, and Russian folklore figures that American audiences may not be familiar with. New Year’s Eve, for example, is a much bigger deal in Russia than it is here, since they were not allowed to celebrate religious holidays for a long time. Grandfather Frost, then, a New Year’s figure, is not a familiar character to American audiences, for example. Although the play was filled with such references, it also had a plot any audience could relate to, and the performances carried us fully into their world.

The company’s ability to merge two cultures, American and Russian, both in content and theatrical techniques, was admirable. Weather every audience member was able to relate to the circumstances of the play or not, the ensemble certainly did a remarkable job of trying to get two cultures to understand each other. In weaving Russian folklore references with a storyline that most people could follow, they bridged the New York and Russian contemporary theater scenes.

The challenges of bringing this play to life were taken on by Studio Six, an ensemble based theater company created by the first and only American class to have graduated from the four-year course of study at the prestigious Moscow Art Theater School. Having graduated in 2005, the members have been producing their own plays in New York ever since, employing directors and playwrights from all over the world. In all their productions, they have demonstrated how their training really teaches actors to live through the circumstances of the play, unlike many other schools of acting that teach actors to perform and entertain. They were utterly believable in their worlds and drew us in, taking us along for the journey as they lived through it themselves.

We highly recommend Winter, which is playing at the Gene Frankel Theatre in downtown Manhattan. Running through the beginning of October, tickets are available immediately at www.brownpapertickets.com . Visit the company’s website, www.studiosixnyc.org , for further details, and be sure to check out this mystical and hypnotizing play that brings Russian folklore to local audiences unlike ever before.

Gala Evening of Education and Tradition

2011-07-07T10:58:00.000-07:00

Here at via3pr, one of our favorite things about being involved in marketing and public relations is learning about all of the organizations and companies we represent. On Tuesday, May 10^th, we had the opportunity to participate in the Russian American Dental Association’s RADA-Medicus Gala, the third event of its kind that educates dental and medical professionals about topics relating to their occupations. The Polish Consulate in Manhattan was filled with one hundred dentists and physicians who listened to a lecture by Dr. Gwen Brown, DDS, watched the Hermitage Piano Trio play classical pieces, sipped wine, and ate delicious, traditional Polish food.

RADA is always finding new ways to inform medical professionals and the public about the importance of staying healthy. This time around, the gala was focused on teaching the dentists and physicians in attendance about the signs of oral cancer/HPV and how to detect it. Director of RADA’s Oral Cancer/Tobacco Cessation Project Dr. Brown gave a thorough speech about these issues called “Current Trends in Epidemiology and Diagnosis of Oral Cancer and Physician-Dentist Referral Network Development.” She even offered advice to audience members. For example, she said that if a dentist finds signs of HPV or a sexually transmitted disease in the mouth/throat of a patient, it’s best to be gentle when telling them.

The American Cancer Society found that only 20% of dentists check for oral cancer in patients. Dr. Brown asked the attendees how many of them tested for the disease, and a very small amount of people raised their hands. The statistic was pretty much proven right then and there. It’s obvious why RADA continues to hold these seminars, improve upon and expand the Oral Cancer/Tobacco Cessation Project, and develop innovative tactics to keep people “in the know.”

We admire RADA for their work, and especially for their creativity. They educate dentists and physicians, spreading knowledge about how to decrease oral cancer/HPV. At the same time, the professionals receive credits for attending these seminars and get to enjoy themselves. The association also rewards children for their hard work and dedication to the anti-smoking cause. On all fronts, RADA proves that if you work hard and help boost the quality of life in your community, it will not go unnoticed.

Special Guest Finn Cohen Leads Russian Speaking Journalists Meet Up

2011-04-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

The April meet up for Russian Speaking Journalists http://www.meetup.com/journo-80/photos/1365426/#23011917was the 28^th event of its kind presented by via3pr, and one of the most interesting yet. This time around, Manhattan was the point of destination for Russian journalists working throughout New York City, and the gathering featured a talk led by esteemed New York Times and Moscow Times reporter Finn Cohen.

Cohen is currently a producer for the New York Times website, and he previously covered music, education, arts, travel, and entertainment for the Moscow Times from 2008-2010. Although he is not Russian, Cohen thoroughly knows the language and culture. He recalled his first assignment for the Moscow Times, which he received after persistently asking for one. He already worked at the paper as a web developer, but he wanted to be on the editorial side as well. In order to make a good impression, he phoned different celebrities and asked them about how they were celebrating New Year’s Eve. On his list was a diverse group of people, from the producer of a cat show, to the country’s most popular singer, and even President Dmitry Medvedev, who, unfortunately, never returned his call. Perhaps the president of Russia was too busy to be thinking about party favors, making a list of resolutions and ringing in the New Year. Just a thought.

Although he has a background in music, Cohen said he’s been writing his whole life. His mother is a writer and his father is a journalist, so it’s clear why he became a reporter. In regards to his work at the New York Times, he said that people who write for the paper must always be focused because the news is constant. The Internet has sped up the process for journalists, and it’s evident on the paper’s website. He said that if you check it several times throughout the day, it’ll never look the same because they’re always trying to keep it up to date and interesting for readers. Even though the content on the site now costs money, he said he would gladly pay the price if he were on the outside because it’s so superior. The New York Times is charging for news items in order to sustain itself and try and satisfy readers at the same time.

Cohen answered tough questions from the journalists in attendance; however, he was forced to pass on some. For example, he was asked why the New York Times is liberal and why they cover news from a specific perspective. He replied that he couldn’t answer those questions because he didn’t represent the paper or its opinions. But, he was able to respond to inquiries about how he came to work at the Times, since many of the journalists were interested in positions there. He said that it is a lengthy process, and that knowing people in the industry helps.

Cohen wasn’t the only American journalist at the meet up who had worked in Russia. His friend and moderator of the event, Joe Crescente, was a writer in St. Petersburg and covered stories around Russia and the former USSR. Crescente said he was once approached by an FSB agent, who told the journalist he would pursue him if he was writing in Russian. Fortunately, he wrote in English and only foreigners read the paper. The people of Russia, as a whole, couldn’t understand what he was reporting on. He stayed out of trouble, and now he’s back in America, studying anthropology, making documentary films, and working as a freelance writer.

Thanks to the discussion guided by Cohen and Crescente, the 28^th meet up of Russian journalists was informative and fun. It was fantastic to hear about Russia and its journalism from an American perspective. We hope our next event will be just as great as this one was!

Ludmila Ulitskaya at Columbia University

2011-04-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

(Ludmila Ulitskaya and Pavel Khodorkovsky)

Ludmila Ulitskaya is a best-selling Russian novelist whose book, “Daniel Stein, Interpreter,” was recently translated to English. On Tuesday, April 5^th, she spoke to an audience of about 100 Russian and English-speaking attendees at Columbia University.

According to Overlook Press’ website, “Daniel Stein, Interpreter” is about a Polish Jew who survives the Holocaust by acting as a translator for the Gestapo. When the war is over, he converts to Catholicism, becomes a priest, and then moves to Israel. The character of Stein is based on Oswald Rufeisen, who was known as Brother Daniel. The compelling story was the winner of the Russian National Literary Prize and the Simone de Beauvoir Prize.

Due to its religion themes, the book has garnered criticism from different groups associated with Judaism and Christianity. Russia also has a spotty past when it comes to the Jewish community. Ulitskaya said this occurred because people were uneducated about the origin of Orthodox Christianity. For example, she heard two old women arguing whether Jesus was Russian or Ukrainian, when it’s well-know that he was Jewish.

In the more tolerant Israel, where Brother Daniel lived, services are given partly in Hebrew even at Orthodox Christian churches to make sure that everyone is included. In Russia, that is not the case.

“Daniel Stein, Interpreter” is Ulitskaya’s fourth book translated into English. The successful author said she writes for herself, but is glad that people have been so receptive of her work. Russian journalist and screenwriter Alexandra Sviridova asked Ulitskaya what the appeal of her book was for an American audience, and the author replied that that was a question for an advertising agency. She explained that she does not know American audience and her books have an absolutely different appeal in every country.

The author recently published a book of correspondence between herself and former member of the Russian oligarchy Mikhail Khodorkovsky called “Mikhail Khodorkovsky: Articles, Dialogue, Interview.” He is now in prison and she said the government is preparing his next, third, trial. She said that while behind bars, Khodorkovsky has had an incredible spiritual growth. Ulitskaya added that he would be an incredible Russian leader given different circumstances. Although it’s been said that she should publish another book containing his letters, she said she doesn’t want to do anything that might harm him.

To gain feedback of her work before they go to print, Ulitskaya reads from her books out loud to her husband (who doesn’t like to read), and sends manuscripts to very few friends. Her last book, “Green Tent,” was published in Russia last December. When an audience member asked her if she’s working on anything right now, Ulitskaya said, “Don’t scare me. I just published my book.”

ReporterUS.com (Russian Speaking Journalists March Meetup)

2011-03-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, March 10^th, via3pr held its 27^th meetup for Russian speaking journalists in America http://www.meetup.com/journo-80/photos/1306691/22063906/. Although we thought nobody would show up because it was heavily raining, 20 reporters from all around New York City braved the weather and traveled to Brooklyn to network, share the latest news, and talk about internet radio.

The meetup’s special guests were Mark Rastanny, president of ReporterUS

and Yury Bagrov, a journalist at ReporterUS. They are part of the news outlet that adjusts national stories for Russian-speaking Americans. The site has only been around for a few months but already receives 7,000 unique views daily. This is because it appeals to Russian speakers in the U.S. Most of the time, newspapers are just imported from Moscow. ReporterUS is a huge asset and great resource that includes not only written news, but radio as well.

According to Rastanny, 85% of ReporterUS’ internet radio listeners speak Russian and live in America. Twenty-five percent of listeners live in the Former Soviet Union. By and large, it’s been a success, save for a hacking incident in December which caused the site to switch servers.

The meetup consisted of journalists who worked at Novoe Russkoe Slovo, a 100-year-old paper that unfortunately had to shut down recently. They are now employed at Reporter, a Russian daily newspaper. In attendance was Stephen Witt, an editor at Our Time Press, which focuses on African-American news. Witt brought Antanina Kapchonava, a young journalist from Belarus who studied at Brooklyn College. Even though Witt doesn’t speak Russian, thankfully some friendly translators were there to help so he could also feel included.

Despite the rain, we had a fair turnout for the meetup. Sometimes around 40 people show up, and other times only five are able to make it. No matter what the number, our friend Olga Cherny, a journalist at the RTN, reminded us that it’s quality over quantity. As long as the topics of the event are interesting and the people in attendance have fun, that’s all that matters. That being said, we can’t wait for our next meetup, which will be on April 21^st and feature a special guest from the New York Times website. Hopefully the weather will be better!

Love, Russian Style and My role in it

2011-03-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

Irina Shmeleva, Basil Mironer, Maxim Dashkin, Nikolay Efremov

I recently traveled to Singapore to act in the short student film, Love, Russian Style. The film was directed by a very talented 2^nd year NYU student, Maksim Dashkin. Dashkin yearned for his film to be of utmost perfection, and invited myself and actor Nikolai Yefremov as lead characters in the film. Yefremov traveled 13 hours for this film. I had the privilege to travel 26 hours, with 20 hours of flight through Shanghai. Yet, the long flight and the hot and humid Singapore were compensated for by the experience of participating in this true work of art.

Upon arrival, we commenced rehearsal only two hours later at the Tish School. Dashkin gave me a tour and showed me the area of Oliver Stone, who is the Creative Director of this film. We began filming the very next day, with the intense work days lasting from 12 to 16 hours. What was truly surprising was that even though the director was young, every thing was completely on point and very well planned out. We didn’t lose a second of precious time. Dashkin ensured that every actor developed a background story to better understand their characters.

This was an amazing movie with many aspiring filming professionals. Director of Photography, Basil Mironer, won first prize at a film competition in Korea for his film Rare Fish. Producer, Li Weinting was ready for anything that needed to be done for the film (including painting a giant bear on the wall). Candice Vaughn, Set and Costume Designer, catered to every detail of the designs which perfectly fit with each character’s personality. Ty Lawson, Producer, always made sure we were all fed and ready to work. Actress, Shirine, playing my son’s wife (for who this was the first time filming) had amazing work ethic. (Throughout the film, my character called her Kammasutra because she danced Hindu dances.) And Angelo Perrino, Camera Assistant, with Brett Mironer, Set Organizer, filled in the gaps and details which are crucial to the success of a film.

My role was the mother of a young man who went to Singapore. She came after him with the intention of bringing him back home to Russia. My character looked like a woman of very bad taste, decked out in Juicy Couture which was unfitting for a woman of her age, with a lopsided pony tail. It was quite frightening to look at myself in the mirror!

Perhaps my favorite scene was when my character arrived to the all glass airport, and upon seeing her son, she threw her arms into the air, screaming. This, I had the honor of seeing in slow motion at the discretion of the camera operator. Another favored scene was one where my character punched the manager. The Camera Operator asked me, “how long have you been married?” I replied, “21 years.” To this he shook his head, saying “I pity your husband for all the years of abuse he must have had to take from you.” I defended myself by saying, “This isn’t me; it’s my character!” To this he merely responded, “Yes, but you do it with such joy and conviction.”

Additionally, I had to cry eight times on demand for the film. When my husband called, Dashkin praised this ability to him saying, “just press a button and Irina cries.” My husband laughed and said, “Hmp, you don’t even need a button!”

Dashkin’s movie was both comic and tragic –like so many things in life. “Love, Russian Style” is meant to stand for the intensity of love that does not care about politics, cultural standards, or anything else. I truly hope that the theme of love and doing something good will be conveyed to the audience who will be able to relate to it.

Laughter, Tears, and Horrors: The Russian Film Week

2010-12-15T10:14:00.000-08:00

From December 3^rd- 9^th, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of attending the Russian Film Week(RFW). Out of the thirteen films, I saw a total of nine; five in the theater and four at home –all of which were almost new releases. I say almost, because each film can be viewed on www.etvnet.com. Theoretically, I could have watched them all at home. However, in the spirit of friendship, I decided to attend the theater with a dear friend who simply couldn’t stay indoors. Besides, I guess it would have been rude not to show up, as I was due to be one of the guest presenters.

I presented the movie Alien Girl. I told the audience that this is a tale for all us girls to see. It is a how-to guide in the event that you did not have the ability to marry rich. What are the options? Escape from an orphanage; enter prostitution; get out of prostitution; become head of the mafia; kill everyone who ever crossed you! My statements were followed by a series of anecdotes, which I frankly cannot quite recall, but I know I must have said something amusing since the audience was rolling on the floor laughing.

Oleg Sulkin, a very knowledgeable movie critic; he was the mediator. He presented every movie during the RFW , delivering valuable insights, and then setting the stage for a floor discussion. It was truly a delight to hear his comments.

One of the movies that stood out in my memory was Man by the Window, directed by Yuriy Stoyanov. He presented the film were he was playing a leading part, Stoyanov. Laugh-out-loud funny, he made a formal apology to Robert De Niro, since his movie’s ticket cost $45.00, while De Niro’s was a mere $12.00. In my opinion, the viewers who paid the $45.00 ticket could have only gotten their money’s worth in some alternate universe. Man in the Window was an average movie at best. A mish-mash of literary and soviet film references, somehow a plot was put together by trying to shove everything in one film.

Another film was Golden Mean, directed by Sergei Debizhev. Debizhev made an on-point statement about the film: “there are two types of people that came to see this movie: youth who are interested in intricate plots dealing with existentialism, Buddhism, and Masonic conspiracy; and fans who came to see Alexey Serebryakov and Ksenya Rapoport.” In my opinion, the second group must have been quite disappointed; for if they came to see a memorable actor performance, well there was not much acting. I definitely agree with Serebrykov who said, “I was a mere instrument in the director’s hands.” While the plot was indeed unique, it did not afford much room for quality acting.

I also had the distinct horror of watching the hit film My Joy. This movie deals with the “joys” or rather the disturbing state of affairs in Russia. From prostitution to destitution, from crime to police corruption and literal insanity, this film forced me into a three-day long depression.

After watching a series of movies that were certainly wanting, I finally saw a film that uplifted my spirits. Inadequate People, a romantic comedy directed by 26-year-old Roman Karimov, had it all! The acting, the phenomenal humor, the heart-warming joys and sad tears of a love story, will not fail to move even the most scrutinizing viewer. This is the one film that I would definitely recommend anyone to see!

A Night of Chit-Chat with New York Times

2010-10-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

Recently I had the pleasure of attending an event by the world's most famous paper- New York Times. The paper holds a talk series -NY Time's Talks, with various influential figures and celebrities in attendance. This particular event was the 40^th anniversary of their Op-Ed page. http://nytimes.whsites.net/timestalks/videos/

The event was held in the ultra-modern chic, “steel & glass” NY Times building. Phenomenally organized, with perfect precision and an impressive setting, the view behind the panel of wondrous birch trees behind the glass, added that ideal touch.

With 375 or so guests in attendance, a panel was organized of writers who contributed the Op-Ed section. The guests certainly matched the panel speakers; the auditorium was filled with an air of sophistication, with professor-like intelligentsia, where most attendees were wearing glasses.

Nora Efton was the first speaker. She relayed her experience as an intern at the White House under the Kennedy administration. Efton disclosed how she was the only female who Kennedy never made a pass at. When her friend, who was also an intern, confided in her that the President made a pass at her, Efton really began to feel offended. “Was it my clothes? My hair?” The extent of the President's attention to Efton never surpassed him asking her “How are you” during the whirring sound of a helicopter. Efton's reply was “What?”

Thus, on that note the panel discussion began. Moving away from the handsome President, the moderator of the Op-Ed, David Shipley (who wrote speeches for the White House during Clinton administration) did an amazing job at keeping to the time-limit and switched the discussion to ethical practices in the media. Writer Garrison Keillor (whose book I was compelled to purchase) discussed how we need to fight News Corp. However, one can't fight fire with fire. Hence, we cannot fight them utilizing their own methods, but must do so in an ethical manner.

The floor was then handed over to Joseph C. Wilson –an Ambassador whose wife's, Valerie Plame, cover was famously blown regarding working for the CIA. Sadly his wife was unable to find work elsewhere due to this. Moreover, she couldn't even receive a pension since she wasn't 57 yet. They tried to appeal to Congress, but all their efforts were futile for now.

At this point, Roy Brount Jr.took the sullen floor and raised the audience's spirits. Addressing David Shipley, he said “My grandmother always told me 'If you want to be taken seriously, wear serious socks. Dear David, what are you doing with those socks?” An interesting point, he was wearing striped red socks that matched his red striped tie -a possible tip of the hat to the recently passed fashion week.

The last astonishing aspect of the event (which is of particular interest to me as a PR professional) is that Shipley mentioned that even though the NY Times does their best to give everyone a chance to submit a piece to the Op-Ed section, they receive 1,500 articles a day! Obviously it’s political officials and influential figures that they give priority to. Someone even asked if President Obama ever wrote to them, and surprisingly the answer was “Yes.” The follow up question was if it was him, or one of his speech writers? The reply was that chances are someone wrote the draft and he simply signed off on the article. This is quite a disappointment from our brilliant speechmaker President, but hey one can’t run the country and write an article at the same time.

http://nytimes.whsites.net/timestalks/videos/

The Best Treasure in Russia Is Not Its Oil, It’s the Culture

2010-09-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

I watched the movie “Pochoronote menya za plintusom” a year ago and was mesmerized by the performance of the actress Svetlana Kryuchkova. Her delivery was flawless and her character was so convincing that she truly terrified me .

I later found out that she was scheduled to perform at the Fair Lawn Russian Center in New Jersey. Her concert recitals have been the talk amongst theater enthusiasts and lovers of Russian culture and the arts. Svetlana Kryuckova is highly regarded as a connoisseur of Russian Poetry and recites poetry by the greats like Tsvetaeva and Achmatova.

The Fair Lawn Russian Center’s theater was filled to capacity when I arrived. Initially I could not understand why so many people came to listen to poetry but as the evening unfolded, the reason became crystal clear. I was enchanted by the experience. The actress communicated with the audience as if we were her close friends. She shared anecdotes about her family, her life in Russia and experiences as an actress.

The event evolved into a familial affair when she invited her award winning son Alex to the stage to play the guitar during her performance. He played beautifully! Her words and his music were in sync and created an atmosphere in which theater goers were delightfully struck by each chord and each word.

She read poems by Marina Tsvetayeva and desribed the poet as volcanic. Mrs. Kryuchkova tone while reciting the poet’s work was powerful and explosive. She Ignited the crowd with her delivery and then released a sense of calm with the poems of Anna Akhmatova whose style the actress s expressed as being oceanic. After the crowd had been lulled into passive and reflective state; she stressed the importance of her ability as an actress to bring the words of the great poets to life. And she called herself a translator between poet and audience Her method was effective; my emotions were like a puppet on a string moving along with every word that was spoken.

After this experience in New Jersey; I was hooked. I saw her for a second time at Brighton Beach at the Millennium Theater. I was invited by the producer of her concert series Lubov Babak. Her following had multiplied; each of the 1300 seats at the venue were occupied. The event sold out. I joined the crowd of people and once again she brought me to a familiar place. The show was phenomenal and the end she was showered by a monsoon of flowers. The actress joked with audience and said that it was only on her anniversary in Russia that she received so many flowers and promised that she would return to us

A Hot Time in Moscow

2010-08-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

Some time ago, I received an invitation from a renowned Russian TV film director Aleksander Grabar to star in one part in the NTV series “Chas Volkova” in Moscow. As I was living the US, I came back to Moscow to film it in summer 2009. Recently in the middle of June I had to take a trip to Moscow again on business matters.
(Alexander Grabar and IS)
I called the show’s second director, Anton Dorin, who responded “Since you’re already here, come by to see me and we’ll select a script for you.”

I packed my overweight suitcase (stuffed with clothing for three seasons) and arrived to a rainy Moscow. Three days later, the heat was unbearable.

Unlike in NY, there are no air conditioners in Moscow. Even in some stores where air conditioners do exist, the employees are afraid to get sick so they keep them off.

Shortly, a casting director, Irina Kovalyova sent me my lines and Alexander Grabar informed me that it is a very difficult role in which the actor needs to create the persona. The character is a surgeon who left her husband and son to be with her lover. Her life began to fall apart and she resolved to alcohol as a solution.

I met with the director for a rehearsal and we discussed how to best perform this role. At that point he began having doubts whether or not he wants me for this role at all. Having to fight for it, I shortly came to the verge of a nervous break-down. Although, I suppose it wasn’t easy for the director either, who was not accustomed to my American arrogance during our bickering. It took all the strength I had to compose myself, use my observational skills and study alcoholics to get this part.

To my surprise, and great satisfaction, I became so immersed in the character that moments of improvisation arose which I did not even expect of myself! It was a sort of divine inspiration on film. Last year, when I was filming for series, I realized that I never lost my acting abilities. This time, I realized I have gained new strengths in the talent.

This was truly a remarkable experience with a very professional, talented and hard-working cast(Lubov Zaitseva, Nikolay Chindaykin). My character’s son (Fyodor Gumirov) even looked like me, and we were able to form a connection with our personalities. During rehearsals we had enough time not to merely recite lines, but to truly convey the characters’ emotions –which is a rare thing for TV. Albeit, we had to sweat (literally) and the lack of an air conditioner left the crew akin to Maxim magazine models, with shirtless men and soaked t-shirt women. Nonetheless, it was truly an amazing experience. I hope that the audience will find the show interesting; however, I know that if one enjoys what one does and has fun with it, regardless it will be a success.

In fact, I received an offer from Mosfilm to star in another show. However, when I called and said I lived in United States, the casting director laughed and said ‘My dear, we have 150 episodes to be filmed!” So despite the hot offer, I decided to stay home in NY under the cool air conditioner.

(Anton Dorin and IS)

(Misha Kozlov and IS)

Once Upon an Early Morning...

2010-07-30T11:49:00.000-07:00

Breakfast at Sephardic NRC

Once upon a very early morning, (last Wednesday) Russian speaking community representatives arrived for the Breakfast at Sephardic Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Little did they know, Wednesdays 8:30 am to 10:00 am there is no parking in the area! One such representative, with a rather precious Bentley, resolved to forego the chance of a ticket and park right outside of the center.

However, all’s well that ends well. The chicly dressed guests of the event resolved not to fret, and were merely delighted in the opportunity to meet other influential figures. Upon being greeted by Sephardic NRC’s Director of Development, Bella Vais, the guests left their business cards on the table and were soothed by a delicious breakfast while they mingled with one another.

After everyone met, The Director of the Center, Michael New, opened the conference, expressing his gratitude to all attendees. The guests (mainly doctors, lawyers and business owners) who all predominantly speak Russian, prepared to delight in a speech given by a top lawyer, in English. Mr. New, keenly aware of this fact, noted that his own ancestors are Russian and proceeded to open the floor to the lawyer Mr. Ronald A. Fatoullah, Esq . He informed the guests how it is time to begin thinking about their retirement and elderly age early, and about the possibilities that the Sephardic Nursing and Rehabilitation Center can offer them and their families. One other lawyer Anna Latkowskaia, Esq , who’s Russian was superb, delivered a speech on a similar topic –in English. Combined, the classy lectures lasted over one hour.

Lastly, Mr. New thanked the guests for attending and expressed how she anticipates that this morning will only be the beginning of a strong union between Sephardic NRC and the Russian speaking community.

The guests were certainly pleased with the event (especially the much desired breakfast) and raved about how interesting it was. They simply hope that next time it will begin at a much later time. So, living by the idea of giving people what they want, join us next time for a night at Sephardic NRC for an informative and interactive event with fortepiano music, and of course cocktails!

.

Expert Advise

2010-07-22T13:23:00.001-07:00

At our monthly New York Russian Speaking Journalists meetup http://www.meetup.com/journo-80/ last June, we had the great pleasure of having Karina Ioffe, city reporter from Reuters, join us. It was a small gathering of fifteen that poured in hundreds of questions for the well established reporter.
Ioffee was asked to enlighten the group on just how she attained all her accomplishments. Her story is as follows: Ioffee attended Hunter College in New York, where she studied multimedia investigative journalism. She claimed that this was the ideal institution for her studies since Hunter College offered her the opportunity to become acquainted with a broad spectrum of areas in reporting with knowledgeable professors from well known media outlets. During her college career, she interned in Russia as an investigative reporter and later received an award from the Overseas Press Club. During the ceremony, a representative from Reuters became partial to her and offered her a position in Reuters. Ioffee said she was certain that her knowledge of Russian was a major catalyst in helping her receive the position, and the deciding factor that helped her develop a prospering career.
Ioffee was an ideal guest for our meetup, as the goal of our group is for Russian speaking journalists to become educated about mainstream media practices. Ioffee now focuses on city politics, which she explained must remain objective. Hence, city reporters are barred from utilizing adjectives. She also explained to the group exactly what multimedia encompasses and discussed the implementation of various sources to obtain information. Lastly, Ioffee stated that a person who is able to perform a variety of tasks in addition to reporting (such as sound bites, photography, videography, etc.) is a great asset. Nonetheless, she claims that no matter how hard one might try, it is not possible to be equally accomplishable at everything. One will inevitably have a greater natural aptitude at one specific task. It is hence even better to develop the skill that one is more inclined to and become an expert in that field.
Ioffee’s insights should give us all something to think about. Rather than trying to be a “jack of all trades and master of none”, we should expand on our capabilities to become truly experts in our respective fields.

some comments

2010-06-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

By Roman Shleynov

I should like to add one thing I consider to be important for understanding of Russian reality.

Gangsters who were powerful in Russia in 1990th and even now have strong connections among top public officials, were changed by the bureaucracy. In Putin’s time state bureaucracy became more powerful and as a result public officials (law enforcement, special services and prosecutors) got more influence over business and replace the gangsters.

I think some of Russian big businessmen felt the changers at the very beginning, somebody of them (like Deripaska for example) hired former deputy directors of Federal Security Service and broke with controversial partners long time ago.

It looks like usual evolution. Bureaucrats are considered to be more predictable than gangsters (though I’ve heard other point of view: some businessmen told that public officials change their positions too often so businessmen needed to pay and start relations with each new official who came with his own new interests and demands. At list criminal leaders did not change so often, those businessmen said).

One of the biggest problems of Russia now is the absence of strong civil society. There is nobody to control bureaucrats. Big Russian businessmen can not do it and can not even support any form of opposition. They have sins in their past. It was nearly impossible to start business in Russia in 1990th and did not have relations with gangsters. The regulation and the laws were poor, the state was weak and the gangsters were well organized.

So now the state can easily start criminal cases against nearly everyone of Russian big businessmen and they understand it pretty well.

The new generation of Russian entrepreneurs has no sins in their past. So they are free. I want to believe they will make more efforts to control public officials or at list will be interested in these efforts and in the development of civil society in Russia.

Bensonhurst Business Club Hosted Speaker Christine Quinn

2010-05-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

Wednesday evening I ventured over to the other side of the pond (known as Brooklyn) for a gathering of the Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst. The JCH's business club waited fervently for the appearance of the night's honored guest, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Local Russian politicians, business owners and attendees mingled before the new president of JCH of bensonhurst, Alex Budovsky, offered opening remarks. He then turned the floor over to councilmember Domenic Recchia who introduced Speaker Quinn. It was a historical event, which marked the first time a city council speaker spoke before the JCH's Business Club. Everyone was very excited and waited anxiously for the rare opportunity to shake her hand.

Speaker Quinn focused on how New York City Government is working to create more jobs for its citizens. Among the plans is an attempt to subdivide large, empty Brooklyn warehouses and make them available to small business owners, whom Speaker Quinn said, need more support. To this end she said the city has asked bankers to set aside more capital for small business owners who might be turned down for a loan. Now, they have a second chance at getting funds. One lawyer, who said he had been in Iraq, (I assumed he meant serving) works with Veteran's groups and asked Speaker Quinn what the plan is for enacing more Veteran's programs. She said they were initiating some programs but conceded they are not enough. She asked the man to give his information to her assistant Steven Tuozzolo, Small Business Liaison Community Outreach Unit so that they could discuss the possibilties more in depth at a later time. All of the efforts she touched on are in the name of recovery for the economy, and everyone left feeling a bit more hopeful with the future of New York business in Speaker Quinn's hands.

Roman Shleynov of Novaya Gazeta in New York

2010-05-12T13:15:00.000-07:00

Russian-speaking journalists and I met Roman Shleynov, Investigations Editor of Novaya Gazeta, at the Columbia school of journalism for an event called Russian Roulette where Anne Garrels hosted a conversation with Roman Shleynov about doing business in Russia http://picasaweb.google.com/Irina.Shmeleva/2010RomanShleynovAtColumbiaAndMeetup# . Shleynov was awarded the Paul Klebnikov Integirty in Jouranalism Award for 2010. The event was opened by Ann Cooper, director of broadcasting at Columbia school of journalism. Then, she gave the floor to the wife of the late Paul Klebnikov, Musa Klebnikov, who initiated the fund with friends and family to honor Paul's memory. The goal of the fund is to help encourage a safer environment for journalists in Russia. When asked if he was afraid to be an investigative reporter in Russia, Roman said he is not because the distribution of his publication is so small compared to others. He compared Russia to early 20th century America in the way that gangsters held a lot of power and had an enormous affect on business. Roman's mission has been to investigate into corporations who are under the influence and control of these certain groups of people. An ex-Forbes reporter asked Roman why he didn't write about the good things happening in Russia; he credited his answer to his editor who says (paraphrased) they are not writing about citizens who don't kill their neighbors, they are writing about the "people who are doing the killing." He remains optimistic however, saying the future of Russia is for children who are getting their education abroad and don't have a criminal past like much of the older generations running the big sectors of industry and government. Two days after the event, Shleynov met with the New York Russian-speaking Journalists Meet Up group to discuss Russian affairs including the Russian-speaking journalists' role in New York. He asked if the Russian-speaking community has an independent paper to which the whole group replied "no" because of a lack of funding. He will be in the country through September for the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship.

The Art and the Sacrifice of Making the World Better

2010-04-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

The Russian Journalist Meetup on Friday, April 16th http://journo.meetup.com/80/, had the privilege of hosting Jon Alpert, renowned American Journalist, founder of Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV) http://www.dctvny.org/ and recipient of 15 Emmi Awards and was nominated for Oscar this year. Alpert’s visit shed light on many who attended. http://picasaweb.google.com/Irina.Shmeleva/TheNYRussianSpeakingJournalistsMeetup#There is no doubt about it: Alpert has made an impact on the American society. Through the craft of video documentation, he has changed the way Americans view the world.
Jon Alpert began his career as a cameraman at a time when NYC taxi cab drivers were risking their lives on a daily basis. This was before any cab driver belonged to a union. A cab driver himself, Alpert organized a movement through which he led with his camera lens depicting the dangerous life of cab drivers. Out of his videos, he and other cab drivers lobbied together fighting for more safety. His videos successfully persuaded politicians to pass laws protecting cab drivers.
From that moment on, Alpert followed his ambitions of making an impact on American society through his camera. He shot a man dying of a heart attack in a rundown American hospital lacking technicians, nurses, and medicine due to budget constraints. He put himself in the middle of war zones in Vietnam and in Nicaragua. He then traveled to the Philippines, showing the decay and debris of landfills pilled up mountain-high. Here, a beautiful Philippine woman named Maria was scrounging for plastic cloths to turn in for a pittance and if lucky, maybe earn a dollar. Alpert, seeing no sign of a big catch of garbage, said to the girl: “So it’s not a lucky day for you?” She said: “No.” Then Alpert proceeded: “I see you’ve got a grapefruit in your hand. Are you going to eat it?” The grapefruit was spoiled rotten with flies buzzing around. Maria looked up at Alpert and said, “Yeah, I am three months pregnant and need to be healthy for the baby.”
From the smoking mountains and the humbling tale of Maria, these images raised awareness in America about Philippine’s cruel government regime, which was backed by the US. Feeling ashamed of the situation, Americans immediately responded by sending money to TV Network that broadcasts the story and helped to ameliorate the living conditions and built apartments for Maria and her people.
Alpert’s brilliant footage continued to change America’s views of the world. During the Gulf War, Alpert found his camera in Iraqi hospitals filming malnourished children who were wasting away because of food shortages. While the US preached that a “precision war” would do no harm, Alpert proved this war tactic erroneous taking his camera to Iraqi neighborhoods being bombed for no reason.
When Lidia Talai asked how he can film in the presence of Iraqi dying children, he agrees that the scenes are unbearable to watch, but said, “I am like a doctor, looking at all the details from all angles and thus am not entirely affected by it.”
NBC were releasing Alpert’s war stories, but could not do it anylonger because it was controversial. CBS agreed to broadcast but CEO of the network was fired for inviting Alpert to show his coverage. Provided that Alpert shoots what American media refuses to show, it was a constant battle for Alpert to make the news because of blacklisting. Fortunately, Alpert has succeeded in targeting cable networks. He is now making one documentary a year for HBO which pays $15,000/ mo. for his insurance to the only British company who insures high risk individuals.
Most recently his documentary of “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” was nominated for an Oscar. Since he did not possess a special reporter’s visa, the Chinese government would have thrown him in jail if he was caught. Alpert managed to shoot footage of a school building in rural China that had completely toppled as a result of its poor construction. The telling point: this school was the only building to have collapsed and was directly linked to politicians’ refusal to allocate money on public infrastructure such as schools.
Right after the footage, Alpert entrusted his nephew to bring the tapes back to the US. This was a smart move since it was not long after when thirty-five policemen ended up arresting him in search of his tapes.
The grandson of the first Russian representative of the United Nations and related to Masha Slonim, a Russian journalist from England, Alpert leads a legacy of determination, courage, and influence. His latest development targets young teenagers who are interested in studying video production. He holds seminars, classes and rents out equipment from DCTC.
Though he was not very accomplished as a student and was a disappointment for his parents, he started to improve our world with a video camera (aka “magic wand”). "Now when i looks in the mirror i do not turn away".
Anatoliy Yasenik, member of NY Russian Speaking Journalists Meetup said, “You are a Hero!”

Making a Difference: A Theme Spreading from Russia to the US

2010-04-06T09:22:00.001-07:00

(Dr. Rada Sumareva and Andrey Makarevich)

Photo by Ludmila Kudinova

Russian-American Dental Association (RADA) hit a grand slam this weekend. Hosting a fundraiser for the association’s Oral Cancer/Smoking Cessation Project, RADA kicked off the event celebrating Mashina Vremeni’s 40th Anniversary Concert Tour. Long-time, loyal fans came out in droves to hear once again the free-spirited, loving, and liberating tunes that evoked the days of the SovietUnion.
Following the smashing concert, a total of 150+ people made their way to the Empire Room Penthouse Lounge of 230 5th avenue Club to galvanize RADA’s humanitarian efforts http://www.russiandentists.com/ . The fundraising event commenced with opening remarks from Rada Suareva ,the association’s President , during which she thanked Mashina Vremini for their participation and inspiration to help make a difference through public outreach programs. This struck an accord with Andrey Mackarevich, co-founder of Mashina Vremini and renowned artist, as he showed his sincere gratification by applauding her moving speech.

This event triggered a hotbed for social networking whereby old and new friends gathered together to celebrate a worthy cause. Throughout the evening guests were encouraged to participate in the silent auction bidding on items such as Mashina Vremini’s CDs, Andrey Mackarevich’s prints, and anniversary photo albums published uniquely for this fundraiser.
Everyone truly enjoyed the occasion to the point that no one wanted the vivacious party to end. Thanks to all those who attended, the event was a huge success generating enough support that will continue to foster growth in RADA’s mission.

Moscow Tragedy Upset

2010-03-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

Though I feel more distant from Moscow--now that I am residing in New York, I am still very much attached to the Russia and know how busy Moscow’s subway system can get during peak hours, especially at Park Kultury, the major hub bombed by two Chechen Muslim female extremists .
This terrorist-related attack did not mark the first time on Russian soil, but it did set precedence for Moscow. It is difficult to imagine the chaos and the struggle for Russians to carry out their daily lives in the midst of such a heart-wrenching catastrophe. My condolences truly go out to those suffering from this malicious act.
Sympathetic, yes. But what can I do? What can we do? In a series of tragedies as grave as this one, how can we move forward like every day, happy-go-lucky people full of peace and love? Or to put it this way: when it’s only a few wreaking havoc on the masses, why isn’t the majority of Muslims offsetting these macabre events by showing that their religion is about love instead of jihads? The irony: nowadays that terrorism is seemingly the norm, we’re less attuned to the fact that we have seen little or no remorse coming from the Muslim community to prove that they truly care and that their religion stands up for peace.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/world/europe/30moscow.html?scp=2&sq=russia%20putin&st=cse

Russian Conservatism in the US (Iinspired by Healthcare Reform Bill)

2010-03-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

By and large Russians residing in the Tri-State area uphold very strong conservative values. They tend to be of Jewish heritage and identify themselves with the extreme right Republican Party. This fact comes as no surprise when you take a look at Russian and Jewish history. During the Soviet Union era, Russians were forced to live up to a dream promising the ideals of a social democratic state, but in effect they miserably suffered from a rouge totalitarian regime. The same feeling of oppression affected the Jewish community giving rise to highly conservative values.

Barack Obama's campaign in the 2008 Presidential race sparked no support from the staunch conservative, Russian speaking community. Now that Obama is in office a cloud of contempt hovers over Russians who vehemently oppose Obama's liberal political stance.

Though the Northeast is a region marked with progressive liberals, in the Tri-State area alone, there are only a handful of Russian Democratic reporters who are pro-Obama.

While most of the Russian speaking community continues to allow right-wing media to influence their beliefs, this paints a pathetic picture of the US and only strengthens their opposition to Obama's leftist agenda.

In the wake of Obama passing a health care reform bill which entitles every American access to some form of health care policy, the Russian speaking community appears to be ungrateful even though ironically many aging Russians depend on Medicare. There are some Russian doctors who believe that they cannot deliver quality medical treatments to patients under the new national heath-care plan while others are uncertain of what to make of it. Whether or not a universal plan will actually work in the patient's favor or hinder the doctor's practice, it remains to be determined.

Glancing no further than Canada and EU countries, one sees a success story of universal health care system that works. So if nationals of these welfare-state countries seem to be getting quality health care, why should Americans doubt Obama’s universal health care plan? When in fact this decision sends a powerful message worldwide that America is on the road map to social democracy.

Rock Star of Russian Media

2010-03-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

Renowned Journalist, Yulia Latynina, otherwise called by Heidi Brown as the Russian Media Rock Star, came to the campus of Columbia University on Friday, March 12 to share her economic and political voice with Russian Speaking Journalists Meetup.
http://journo.meetup.com/80/photos/853697/
Her eloquent speech addressed current socioeconomic and political issues facing Russia and Former Soviet Union Republics. She raised various points about Russian affaires touching on the surprising fact that the United States is producing more oil than Russia and sell it cheaper.

She praised Saakashvilly, Georgia's president, for his utilitarian deeds for the people of his country, namely working to reduce corruption in police force and provide free higher education for the best students from Georgia and other foreigners.

In regions such as Vladivostok and Irkutsk, there is an increased outmigration of Russians and a steady immigration of Chinese. Though there might be an exodus of Russians in the area, the Chinese seem to be bringing peace to communities since there has been no trace of crime.

A petit yet powerful woman, Latynina managed to keep the audience's attention by her sheer charisma, intellect, and wit. On one occasion, she brought up President's and their watches. She noted that while Obama was wearing a $1500 watch but for PR purposes he switched it to $200, Bush's and Clinton's $50, Putin sports a $10,000 one. And once Putin gave his watch to a little boy, he had set a precedent for his people to expect a watch from him, too, in fact a blue collar worker demanded the president to give him his watch.

Overall the audience received Latynina well posing questions throughout the talk.

When David Guy, editor–in-chief of “V Novom Svete” asked her about rumors of extremists threatening her, she said that the Russian Secret Service protects her, and she comically exclaimed that it’s better for Russian Journalists to be killed by Russians rather than foreigners.

A passionate runner and lithograph expert, Latynina is a true brave heart who continues to touch many lives through her independent, progressive viewpoints.

http://journo.meetup.com/80/photos/853697/

The Spirit of Russia: Discovering Adventurous Russia

2010-03-17T14:51:00.001-07:00

In the midst of a snow storm, leave it to the Russians to hold an event educating representatives of the media about all of Russia’s adventures. On the snowy February 25th, Russian American Consulting Corp (RACC) and VAO Intourist held Discover Adventurous Russia Night, discussing travel to Russia and the Former Soviet Republics. http://picasaweb.google.com/Irina.Shmeleva/DiscoverAdventurousRUSSIA?authkey=Gv1sRgCPPA5tvL-KyK3AE#
The turnout was surprising given the severe weather, and as the guests crowded at the Russian Samovar Restaurant, huddling together for warmth, everyone eagerly awaited the speeches that were to be given about elusive travel attractions in Russia.
While the guests were drinking house vodka to get the feeling back to their frozen limbs, the Golden Rooster ensemble sang Russian songs to give a taste of Russian history and culture. Adorned in costumes from the times of the Russian monarchy, the ensemble captivated the hearts of the guests with their performance. Following a grand applause, the formal portion of the event began as guests proceeded into the conference area to hear speakers from RACC and VAO Intourist.
Andrew Shuranov, Founder and Owner of RACC welcomed the guests and gave a brief introduction about adventure travel to Russia. Shuranov further discussed obtaining a visa to Russia, which through the assistance of RACC can be received in as little as one hour. After Shuranov’s introduction, the speaker from VAO Intourist, RACC’s strategic partner, Nina Zharova, Vao Intourist Commercial Director, discussed the travel services that company provides, which are pervasive in each and every aspect of travel to Russia.
Zharova further described the attractions in Russia for the adventurous spirit yearning to break away from the conventional. For the truly brave Russia offers some of the most extreme hunting trips. From hunting large game such as bear, wolf, moose, lynx and wild boar to smaller game such as bird hunting, Russia has it all. RACC arranges for the adventurer to hunt on exclusive hunting grounds. Formerly the only footprints encountered on these grounds were from the game being hunted and officials from the Russian government. Now, through RACC the only requirement to access these exclusive grounds is an adventurous spirit.
However, as Zharova informed, the adventurous soul is accommodated in Russia not only through hunting. The traveler can choose from a range of other fascinating attractions. These include hiking and trekking though the mountains, military battle tours, bomb shelter visits, riding a Russian tank and even a visit to a space capsule.
Zharova’s speech was followed by a PowerPoint Presentation delivered by Kira Nekrasova, VAO Intourist USA and Canada Director about the wonders encountered on the Tran Siberian Railway. From Moscow to Beijing, the 15 day trip brings the traveler the glory of Russia and the Far East. Starting from the legendary Moscow, heading toward the mesmerizing Golden Ring, and passing through Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan is just the beginning of the trip. Some of the other destinations along the route include Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Omsk, Yekaterinburg, Lake Baikal and Vladivostok; all of the less known destinations throughout Russia, yet certainly offering a remarkable history that is sure to dazzle even the most skeptical traveler.
Following Nekrasova’s presentation, Maria Pasenchuk, Eastern Europe Director took the floor and read a letter from the Russian Ministry of Tourism. In the letter, the Ministry asserts the importance of increasing tourism between Russia and the United States. The days of Americans viewing visiting Russia as a dangerous mission are coming to an end as Russia becomes one of the top European destinations and opens its arms and welcomes American travelers to partake in all the culture and history of the nation.
After the conclusion of all the speeches, which left the audience with dropped draws about the fascinating trips and changes in Russia, the guests were allotted time for a question and answer portion. The guests were eager to learn more about the new developments in Russia and travel opportunities, and questions kept pouring in.
The evening was wrapped up with a raffle for a free 8 day trip to Russia, which was won by David Rosen, Executive Producer of Compulsive Traveler TV, who was overcome with joy. The guests were then treated to Russian cuisine and of course more vodka, this time not for the warmth but for the sprit of Russia which so many are now anxious to discover.

Olga Topchaya

New Russian Short Films

2010-02-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

On the 21st of January, CEC ArtsLink http://www.cecartslink.org/ gave four young, Russian filmmakers the opportunity to show their work to New York City film-lovers.
The films we were shown at Tribeca Cinemas on Thursday, January 21st were four shorts ranging from about 10 to 25 minutes each. They were: The Boss, directed by and starring Yuri Bykov, Boulevard, directed by Alisa Khmelnitskaya, Mom, directed by Ilya Kazankov, and The Gust of Wind, directed by Ekaterina Telegina.
The film that left the biggest impression on me was "The Boss", though the audience seemed to be partial towards Mom. Although all the films were clearly products of talent, skill, and hard work, in my eyes The Boss possessed something extra. While some of the other films were a bit messy and underdeveloped, Yuri Bykov’s command of his film as well as the role he played shows that he has stepped out of the realm of inexperience and into the realm of professionalism and detailed control of his work. "The Boss" is the story of burglars unknowingly breaking into the house of a ruthless FSB member—a mistake that would cost them their lives. It was concrete, it was believable, it was scary. The Yuri Bykov acting was phenomenal. "Mom" was touching and got a lot of laughs, "Boulevard" was funny and the dialogue was perfect, and The Gust of Wind was thoughtful, beautiful, and stylishly artistic. I am excited to see where these filmmakers go and how their craft develops into something spectacular.
As expected, the night was enjoyable and inspirational. I was more than impressed by the films I was lucky enough to see, and as Russia has recently lost its name for great filmmaking, I am pleased to see that young Russian men and women are taking on the art of cinema and hopefully helping to bring back Russia’s reputation in this field.

Making a Special Appearance

2010-01-22T11:24:00.000-08:00

Just before the Russian Christmas an International Program “Chelovek v Kadre” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cu7JlHXyf4 aired a segment about me, Irina Shmeleva, honored actress of the Russian Federation.
One summer day, while I was in Moscow Sergey Kapkov gave me a call and asked me if I would want to shoot the segment for the program. I was in Moscow filming “Podkidysh” in “Chas Volkova “ series. Surprised but happy to do an interview and shooting of the serie at the same time. The program was going to present my story and my journey as an actress. Sergey Kapkov who is very kind, professional and gifted interviewed me and spoke about my childhood and the steps I took in becoming an actress. They mentioned how I was one of the few to be chosen to enter the theater program. There were 5750 applicants but only 46 were chosen, 26 graduated and six admitted to Moscow theatres including me.
Some friends and colleagues that I know gave their opinions about me. Olga Kabo described me as Americanized, ambitious, and having great ability to plan ahead. She also mentioned how there are two different sides of me, one feministic and the other a firm and strong willed person. Leonid Kulagin saw me as an “optimistic monkey.” Though I took monkey to be a bit insulting he said that I was a monkey because of my drive and energy. He said I was very special. Igor Butman stated that it is a waste do not use such a great actress like me and this is why Russian cinematography is not in a good condition right now.
I enjoyed the program very much. I was able to see myself acting in the clips they played from my movies. It was the first time I saw myself because I usually don’t like to see my work for I think there’s always something to improve but when I saw myself I was proud of my acting and actually thought that I did a pretty good job. This was a new and interesting experience and I appreciate the gesture of the program in having my story aired and the wonderful compliments of those I spoke with.

A Night with Keith Gessen

2009-12-08T05:28:00.001-08:00

This past Thursday, it was a delight to have our previous meetup group feature a renowned writer, Keith Gessen, as our guest speaker invited by Misha Gutkin of Voice of America. In addition to writing for numerous popular publications, the intelligent and soft-spoken Mr. Gessen has written his first novel in 2008, All the Sad Young Literary Men.
Gessen is further the co-editor-in-chief of N+1, a magazine that is published twice a year, and addresses the issues of politics, culture and literature, with a circulation of 7,500. Our group members were very taken with Gessen and his magazine, and were especially curious about the intriguing algebraic name of the magazine. So, when asked what it means, Gessen revealed: Infinity. When pressed for further questions about the magazine, Gessen informed the group that upon graduation he and three of his colleagues were disheartened by the fact that they were limited in what they could write, and yearned to write about something different, something not typically addressed. That is when they decided chip-in $2,000 each and found N+1, including Russian immigration topics within the publication. After their first publication, the founders broke even, realizing the successful business model of their magazine. Within two years, N+1’s popularity has risen and they are receiving numerous invitations to various events including a magazine reading next Tuesday at The New School.
However, Gessen’s achievements do not stop there. He is also well-known for being a book critic and for his translation of Ludmilla Petrushevskaya’s outstanding novel, There Once Lived a Woman Who Tried to Kill Her Neighbor’s Baby. The meetup attendees who knew of his translation brought their own works in hopes that Gessen would translate them.
During the evening, Gessen was asked many questions, one of which was his opinion on U.S.- Russia relations. Gessen replied that the aggression from Russia toward the U.S. is met by aggression from U.S. toward Russia. He believes that due to the stereotypes and preconceived notions that the countries have about each other, the situation is a moot point, in which the two countries will never truly understand one another.
Though Gessen enchanted the crowd with his opinions and stories, the meetup was not a mere lecture, but a lively discussion of interesting topics in which everyone was able to participate. The meeting lasted four hours, ending at eleven o’clock at night, and yet Gessen was able to leave the crowd begging for more.

In need of a proofreader- Desperately!

2009-11-02T14:13:00.001-08:00

This past Thursday, October 26th 2009, we held our monthly NY Russian Speaking Journalists meetup in Russian Samovar, with the theme “Funny Media”. Victoria Belova, editor of Novoye Ruskoye Slova, and Ekaterina Bychkova, the newspaper’s journalist hosted the meetup. They organized a phenomenal presentation and kept the attendees rolling on the floor from laughter. http://picasaweb.google.com/via3pr/RussianSpeakingJournalistsMeetup#

Upon the guests’ arrival, everyone got a designer hat from the new Novoye Ruskoye Slova(NRS) line. Ekaterina and Victoria distributed hats that they made from NRS and each hat had a unique shape such as stars and lips.

Once all the quests arrived, they gave everyone clipped texts from newspapers to read and to find mistakes. The ladies then discussed grammatical mistakes that are made in journalism and especially in their newspaper. This was a very bold move on their part, for not everyone can admit such shameful mistakes and laugh about it. They also read excerpts from text advertisements in NRS. The texts were littered with beyond belief hilarious mistakes that make one wonder, “what were they thinking!”

The evening was followed by the Funniest Journalism Story Contest, in which everyone couldn’t wait to tell their story. Natalya Belaya won the contest, receiving the prestigious grand prize of a paint and brush from Home Depot to correct future typos and mistakes.

Another winner was Oleg Sulkin who’s got Novoye Ruskoye Slovo paper with a magnifying glass, subtly referring to their unreadable small print in articles. Vladimir Nuzov, a freelance writer was awarded a magnifying glass for future uses. Rashel Minevich has got an autographed copy of book “Roman S Samovarom.”

Toward the end of the evening, Roman Kaplan, owner of Russian Samovar, literature specialist and high critic came in to welcome the journalists. Being unaware of what was said earlier at the event, he said Novoye Ruskoye Slovo has become much more accurate and limited on their mistakes! Needless to say this statement elicited earth-shattering laughter from the audience.

Roman Kaplan treated the guests with Russian cuisine appetizers and the famous Russian Samovar house vodka. He then made a toast in my honor, singing praises of my intelligence, the passion which drives my work and great communications skills, making me blush to say the least.

This meetup was by far our funniest yet and certainly made the necessity of a good proofreader more evident than ever!

Join us for our next meetup with Michael Gutkin and Lydia Talai moderating next month (Thursday, December 3rd ).

Closed Showing: Channel One Russia Holds a Daring Event

2009-10-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

October 20th leader of Russian TV networks, Channel One Russia (COR), held a discussion panel entitled Closed Showing, featuring all of the advertising agents and agencies which they work with. The event took place in a new trendy location in SOHO, New Museum.
Until recently, for four years COR partnered with Global Advertising Strategies for the placement of ads on their network. Now, they have raised their prices and ventured to work with numerous agents and agencies directly. This was certainly a smart move on their behalf, as COR is truly the most progressive and most highly rated among Russian TV and is now strategically expanding their presence in the world of advertising.
Although the commercial which they displayed advertising their network at the event was not reflective of their success, the infomercial they screened was outstanding. I was pleased to see that COR is staffed with mostly young professionals, indicating the progressive thinking of the network.
The panel was mediated by Alexander Gordon, who has his own show on COR, bearing the same name as the event. Gordon started his career on RTN in United States, and has by now become a well-known celebrity in the Russia.
The most interesting and shocking aspect of the event was that the panel consisted of two of COR executives on one side and three Advertising Directors from competing channels, NTV, RTVI and RTN, on the other side. What is even more shocking is that they all maintained their calm and didn’t beat each other over the head with clubs.
The discussion was however very intriguing, and the audience was far from shy. Some very “intelligent” questions were posed, especially by the owners of mid-size businesses: Tatyana Restaurant, St. Petersberg Book Store and Galina. The shrewd owners wanted to know why COR gives advertising agents 15% discounts on ad placement and does not do the same for the owners who, in their opinion, bring them a very significant amount of business. Hmm… aside from the fact that the agents bring them an exponential amount more of business, as Channel 1’s director replied, “Because they do the work.” When companies come to the channel for advertisement placement, then the network has to take the time to work with them, as opposed to agencies making all the necessary arrangements.
I was very pleased that CORwas very firm with the audience and defended their agents. They stand by the idea that they have the best quality programming, with the most elite viewership. Hence, they have the highest prices.
The event was nicely concluded with a cocktail party upstairs, with a phenomenal view from the balcony, where advertising agents and agencies were provided with plenty of alcohol to keep up their spirits and avoid World War III.

Loving New York I Love You!

2009-10-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Having attended the red carpet movie premier of New York I Love You on Wednesday, October 13th, I was truly mesmerized by the stellar performances of the actors. A truly phenomenal film, filled with an even more phenomenal cast, including Natalie Portman, Ethan Hawk, Shia LaBeouf, Julie Kristie, among other renowned actors.

The movie is a collection of the great love stories that occur in New York City. Favorite story: the tale of an engaged orthodox Jewish woman, who one day befoe te wedding is fallling in love with an Indian man. Favorite scene: the close-up shot of Natalie Portman as her eyes light up with exuberant sensuality when her true love kisses her on the forehead as she removes her wig.

Though the wait in line to enter the premier was long and cold, the experience was truly heart-warming. The collection of the tales penetrates all the stone-hearted New Yorkers, reminding one of the beauty of love and the beauty of New York.

The premier was followed by an after party at Mansion, where we met with Emmanuel Benbihy, Writer and the main Producer of New York I Love You. Benbihy produced Paris, je t'aime in 2006 and informed us that on his list of “I love you” movies that he is planning to produce is "Rio, I love you," "Jerusalim. I love you" and may be Moscow, I love You. I regretted having to be the bearer of bad news, and inform Benbihy that this movie is already scheduled to be released in Russia in Spring 2010. Fortunately for Benbihy, there are many cities in the world to love.

NY Russian Speaking Journalists

2009-09-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday September 24, 2009 the NY Russian Speaking Journalist group come together again for our monthly NY Russian Speaking Journalists meetup and this time we were privileged to gather at the UJA Federation of New York, a beautifully set up venue with a very professional and official atmosphere with more than forty people there. The UJA Federation’s mission is offer care for those in need, rescue those in harm’s way, and renew and strengthen the Jewish people in New York, in Israel, and around the world (http://www.ujafedny.org/).

We were honored to have Human Rights Leader Alexander Goldfarb who started his active work in the Soviet Union and was invited by well know journalist Vladimir Kozlovsky to the meetup to speak with us about his book “Death of a Dissident: The Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko and the Return of the KGB.” http://www.amazon.com/Death-Dissident-Poisoning-Alexander-Litvinenko/dp/1416551654

Marina Dayneko, Media Coordinator of the UJA Federation introduced Vladimir Kozlovsky who with a great sense of humor told us about how he had been mistaken as being Alexander Goldfarb after he let his beard grow when KGB was chasing Alexander Goldfarb who shaved his bear at this time. He then went on to ask the group if any of them had read the book where only one member raised her hand. Goldfarb introduced the contents of his novel, the details of the poisoning of former KGB agent, Alexander Litvinenko. He described his efforts to bring Litvinenko to safety as he defected and provided insight into the murder from his own perspective, and that of Litvinenko.
Goldfarb’s comments were followed by a lengthily discussion of politics, evoked by some of the journalists’ questions. His comments were applied not only to the Russian Federation, but to governments worldwide, as he asserted that governments never have a heart, nor understanding, only interests.
Though the leaders of the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation have always been among the harshest in their treatment towards their people and officials, one begins to wonder: what implications does Litvinenko’s murder bear on the actions of our government, which refused to afford him refuge?
Towards the end of the conversation Goldfarb mentioned that after America and Russia have been trying to restore their ties and bridge the gap of their indifferences it is difficult to fight for Human Rights because everything is always about politics ever since the Cold War when if some Human Rights issue would come up you could immediately find American support and resources

We had a very interesting and intellectual night and my gratitude goes out to Lidia Wainberg, Head of Russian Division and Marina Dayneko, Media Coordinator of UJA Federation who offered their help in making the meetup a success. If you want to be part of this success feel free to join our meetup group and offer suggestions and ideas. Thanks to all those who are faithful and always make time to come out once a month to share with one another.

We would like to inform you that our next meetup will be on Thursday, October 29th. Since it is close to Halloween we would like to celebrate it. Viktoria Belova, Editor, Novoe Russkoe Slovo and Ekaterina Bychkova, reporter of the same paper have volunteered to organize it and will be dedicated to the best “typo” and “slip of the tongue” in media. If you’d like to participate in it please let us know so that we can out you on the list. For your convenience and stay informed about what is happening we have created a closed group for journalists only on Facebook, Russian Speaking Journalists or Журналсты, говорящие по русски.

Russian American Media Lacks Information

2009-09-11T10:33:00.000-07:00

I’m very familiar with the Russian American media market as I have closely worked with them on many occasions. You can find a list of more than 40 print media that include newspapers and magazines within the Russian American media. Most of these papers and magazines are made outside of the U.S. like Russia, Ukraine and Israel. Only a few have mre coverage of local news such as Russian Bazaar, Russkaya Reklama, Jewish World, Vicherny New York and few others. Those papers that are made outside have one or two reporters who cover NYC news.
A lot of these papers do not have enough man power to create their own materials so they rely on other resources and research performed on the internet for their news. It is upsetting for the Russian speaking community to receive, let’s say “recycled news” as many of the people who are in their late 40s and up depend on these papers to keep up with what goes on around them because they can’t really read English so they look for Russian media sources to inform them. Because of the lack of local news printed in them, they miss out on a lot of information that may be found on American media about their community and surroundings. The same problem occurs with Russian American TV networks and radio; they don’t have enough local content except for RTN and NTV America who tries to include local tailored programs. As for the most viewed Russian channel, Channel 1, the network is arrogant in providing local coverage; all of the programs they air come straight from Moscow.
I have recently been informed that Davidzon Radio bought a mini van to provide coverage for local events in the Brooklyn area. That;s great news! On the other hand, it is almost impossible to call the radio station to ask to cover a local event and show up because the reporters hosting the event need a permission from the owner of the radio station therefore the event cannot be covered. And this s true for most of the Russian American media....
Some websites like Facebook, Meetup and Twitter are helpful in promoting and informing audiences about Russian local happenings but Russian American media should as well. Speaking on my behalf, I like to know what happens in my neighborhood and community so I feel that they should provide more local news.
We are now noticing how Americans are paying more attention to the Russian community not only because of crime involvement but it all evolved ever since the signing of the bill by Gov. David Patterson that allowed translation of voting materials for those New Yorkers who don’t speak English.http://www.wptz.com/news/20810337/detail.html So what the Russian speaking media is not doing American media is doing.

Nothing Stops the NY Russian Speaking Journalists from Meeting

2009-08-31T09:57:00.001-07:00

Picture by Boris Tenzer

After not getting together for two months, the NY Russian Speaking Journalists group was able to hold a meetup last night which turned out to be terrific. Reporters and journalists showed up eager to share information. We had two speakers familiar with the group which gave them the freedom to ask questions and comment on the topics presented. They came together to speak about Obama’s visit to Moscow and about the Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF). I’m sorry I can only give you a summary of what went on because so much was said but I hope that the next time you can be part of the group. We already have Alex Goldfarb (Death of a Dissident: The Poisoning of Alexander Letvinenko and Return of the KGB” http://www.amazon.com/Death-Dissident-Poisoning-Alexander-Litvinenko/dp/1416551654 coming to our next meetup on Thursday, September 24th and Vladimir Kozlobsky will moderate the discussion.

The conversation began with Misha Gutkin who visited Moscow after 20 years, and gave his insight on Obama’s visit. Gutkin was not expecting much from Russia because of how American media portrayed the country. On the contrary, it turned out pretty well. Even though Obama and Russian President Medvedev did not show much charisma they spoke very well. All Russian politicians and oppositions liked Obama even though you could not see much excitement or dissatisfaction from the people. There were only two protestors who paraded in front of cameras holding up a poster that read “You Cannot Set up a New Relationship with KGB” meaning that Putin was the head of KGB and is still in power. They were not stopped by police right away bur after a while they were lifted from the ground and taken away. Gutkin also told the group about some MSNBC members who were sitting next to him who were debating whether or not to contact and inform NY about the press conference being delayed where someone then said that there was no point in doing that since they were focusing on Michael Jackson’s death. The group had a million questions for Gutkin after his discussion which he answered.

Oleg Sulkin then carried on to speaking about the Moscow International Film Festival who expressed that his main priority at the festival is to watch as many Russian movies as he can since there are never good foreign films in the competition the reason being because of the timing. Most of the best films are given to the Cannes Film Festival and Vienna Film Festival which come one before and the other after the MIFF. The government provides the MIFF with money 3 weeks before which makes it chaotic and they are not able to invite famous celebrities to be part of the event because they already have other engagements. This year Adrian Brody attended and Hannah Schygulla. This last festival was remarkable because there were three Russian motion pictures in the competition. One of the films “Petya po Doroge v Tsarstvie Nebesnoe” won the prize of the festival, the other, “Ward #6” won for the category of best actor and the third, Special Jury Award went to “Chudo”. Sulkin also mentioned how today in Russian filmmaking there is a change in generations where young directors are rising and taking the lead in the industry and are very harsh.

I, Irina Shmeleva was also asked to take a few minutes to speak about my experience in filming the Russian movie “Podkydish” in Chas Volkova series where I mentioned that both the crew and young director Alexander Grabar were very professional and wasted no time in creating such a beautiful and mystic film. It was a fantastic experience for me.

Even though the group was crammed up in the via3pr conference room everyone enjoyed themselves. We are looking for new locations to hold our meetings so if anyone has any suggestions and ideas on making our meetups entertaining you are welcome to do so. Before the night came to an end eight of us went out to a new Russian restaurant Mari Vanna on Park Ave. and 20th Street where we ate in a beautiful decorated setting very symbolic to us because of the wall paper that had old soviet papers glued to it . Those who went to the restroom encouraged the others to check them out. Again, because of the Russian theme that included (you should check it out for yourself). The manager of the place was very hospitable and we had a wonderful time.

Russians Are Everywhere

2009-08-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

It seems like where ever you go lately, you are confronted with Russians. My friend was complaining to me about this and said that when you go for example, to Short Hills Mall in New Jersey where you have brands like Cartier, Channel, Dolce and Gabana, it seems like most of the visitors are Russian speaking. Another example of this is when you go shopping at Woodbury Common Outlets where you can find discounted prices on brands like Channel, Armani etc. you also find these stores filled with Russians. Not only in these places but when you stroll through NYC, not even Brooklyn, you encounter many Russian speaking people, which for me is not a surprise anymore.

There’s no doubt about it that Russians are becoming more and more visible. There are many Russians living in the tri-state area who are living successful lives, they have great homes, good cars, and almost the best in everything. But we still have to deal with some of the negativity that is portrayed about Russians that most of the time is loud and resonant. Today I read an article in section A1 of the NY Times titled “Trading Software Illuminates Wall St. Secret” by: Alex Berenson (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/business/24trading.html?_r=1&hp) where Sergey Aleynikov was arrested by an FBI agent without yet knowing if what he did was wrong and needs to be criminally prosecuted or just a subject of a civil suit. It looks like they arrested him because of his nationality.

It is unfortunate to see that even though we are talented and gifted people, the world around us cannot see us as anything more than criminals, prostitutes, thieves, abusive doctors, or builders of criminal ventures. I don’t think the Russian Speaking community understands the importance of coming together to stand up against all opposition so that we can show those around us that some of us are successful and doing positive things in our lives. I hope that we can have leaders who will come to our defense just like John Lisyanskiy who stood up for us when the Daily News wanted to put a label on us. We need more leaders like him that will help us break this negative chain.

Everyone should know that Russians are very well known for their creativity, their ballets and movies. Not too long ago the International Youth Film Festival (http://www.amritsa.com/IYFF/index.htm) took place in the UK where my dear friend Anton Dorin, 30 received the award in the Carte Blanche category for his film The Fog, among 34 films. While he didn’t get recognition in Russia for his 14 min. film, his talent was noticed in the UK and hopefully he will gain some credibility for his new project and monetary reward from Moscow.

So while the world may think of us Russians as “bad” people, to us we are wild and gifted and everyone should respect us for it. We are not all the same, as proven, we have become people with vision and determination to be something positive in society. I cannot stress enough the importance of uniting as a community to prove to NYC and America that we have something to be proud of.

A Place of Opportunty for Young Perfomers

2009-08-18T07:32:00.000-07:00

I recently spoke to Sunflower Center’s President’s daughter Anastasia Terentieva who just came back from Ukraine from the International Camp "Artek", where 46 countries are represented and participants have the opportunity to share and communicate with one another. She spent 3 weeks and spoke to me about her experience at Artek and the great time she had over there.
She told me about the American Theme Day Artek organized; each day is devoted to one of the 46 countries. Anastasia and her friends participated on that day and sang the Russian song Vasilkovaya Polyana and afterwards sang a Jonas Brothers song. Anastasia was surprised at the treatment she received from the audience, they did not clap but instead they screamed and received standing ovations from many as they stood on stage. They received as much applause as the home team from Ukraine. She also mentioned that there were many girls who were extremely excited to meet her and could not believe that she was from NY. Something that really caught her attention was that not only did they receive them unconditionally but they welcomed and greeted America, the country itself, with much respect and excitement.
In the afternoon, they were given a time to rest, take a nap or do something quietly in their rooms, so Anastasia and her friends Nicole and Nefertiti took advantage of that time to create a Spa Salon where they would do other girls hairs, nails, and massage.
The only thing she complained about was that no one had told her not to bring a lot of clothing; she had brought 17 lbs of clothing and then learned that she was obligated to wear uniform throughout the camp term. Other than that, towards the end of her stay everyone was sad and did not want to leave the camp because of the new friendships they had built, no one wanted to go back home. She would love to go back next year, and is anxious to see if she would see the same friends she made.
I’m glad that Anastasia had a wonderful time. I remember my days at Artek. I participated during their 50th year anniversary when Russia was part of the Soviet Union and Artek was owned by the Russian Federation. I remember rehearsing for the ceremony and going everywhere with everyone, it felt as if I was in boot camp, but I’m glad that Anastasia had a totally different experience.

The Actress in Me

2009-08-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

My return to Moscow was great, where as you all know I was starring in the fifth season of Volkov Hour (Chas Volkova) titled “Podkidysh” on NTV. I had a 12 hr. schedule of filming for the series for four days. It was very crazy especially for the Director Alexander Grabar and Director of Photography Michael Koslov, because they hardly took any breaks except for a half hour dinner. They would watch the footage of the scenes and would plan how they will shoot the next scene. There was hardly a break for me as well because they were trying to squeeze as much as possible from my scenes. I was lucky to master the scenes over and over until it was perfect. There were two to three cameras that would take different angles so that the scene can come together nicely.

Filming was very challenging because everyone had to keep focused and give their best, I know I did. The first day, I had to really pay attention to what the director wanted from me because I was not sure exactly how he wanted me to play my character. I experimented with it trying different ways in order to get the right emotion, until finally I nailed it. I also had to become familiar and comfortable with my partners, who by the way are extremely talented, as I was telling my friend who is the Casting Director, who told me that it was probably because the director knew how to choose great actors to play the roles in the series.

The first day we filmed in the theater where I had previously worked ten years ago as an actress before I had moved to America. For me to act again was a little pressuring since I had not been on the scenes for a while and I also wanted to deliver the best and make a good impression for Anton Dorin the second director who had asked me to be part of this production and who initiated my return. Despite the challenging work, this experience was wonderful especially the day that we filmed the most emotional scene of the series, where after a few takes I was surprised when the Director came up to me, hugged me for a few minutes and thanked me. The director of photography also approached me to thank me, as well as the sound director and two of his assistants. I was happy that they appreciated the work I had done and it was very flattering to me.

I probably will not watch the final product when they air it because I don’t like to see myself on the screen. But for all those who do see it and are interested in my acting, I hope they are satisfied with my performance. The Director loved me so much that he asked me to come back again for next season.

A Return Visit to Moscow

2009-07-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

I will be returning to Moscow in a couple of days but this time I have been given the opportunity to take a leading part in a Russian TV film “Podkidysh” which means “abandoned child” from the well known series "Chas Volkova" (Volkov Hour) on NTV TV Network where I will be playing a famous actress who has nothing else but her career. The actress writes a fictional novel based on her life where she had abandoned a daughter....

The 2nd director of the series Anton Dorin had approached me and asked to go and meet the creator of this TV series who is also the author of short story “Vita” which you can find in his book "Khoroshee Nastroenie"(Good Mood). He is a great writer and a representative of the Romance genre of Russian literature as it has been labeled by critics of his art. If you read Russian you should definitely read this this short story as it is very unusual, funny and unique, for me at least. After an interviewing with me gave he me the role in this film.

I will be filming from the ending of July to the beginning of August and will be aired in September. I don’t know what to expect from this, but I do know it will be beautiful and filled with mysticism, so be on the look out on what will come.

Pointing Fingers at Russians

2009-07-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday when I picked up my Sunday New York Post I was shocked to see the front page of the paper titled “Here Con$ the Bride!”-Russians buy hubbies, green cards for $30K followed by an exclusive report by Isabel Vincent and Stefanie Cohen “From Russia with $$”. I always find myself reading something negative about Russians such as, Russian mafia, doctor frauds, financial industry frauds, and other stories involving “Russians” I guess meaning different Russian speaking members of ethnic groups that fall under this category.

The article spoke about Russian immigrants who are trying to get their citizenship in the U.S. through sham marriages. Some ads that can be found in Russian Media like Russian Reklama (Russian Ad) post ads offering visas for brides/grooms and ads for marriage brokers that can help people arrange a marriage in order to attain a green card even though it wasn’t shown in the article. It is a big business for those who run these agencies and a common practice from groups of Eastern Europe. The funny thing is, that in one of the ads they posted on the article it’s not even translated correctly, it is actually supposed to be a service that renders visas (not marriage arrangements) for brides and grooms not wife/husband and then instead of “fast, professional and cheap” it is, quick, quality service, inexpensive. So it is actually giving the wrong message and makes the interpretation very different from the way it is written in Russian.

A reporter decided to find out more about the process of obtaining a green card through a marriage broker and he was told that “the marriage would run the reporter $31,500 in cash. Of that total, $25,000 would go to the fiancé with $10,000 given up front and $15,000 paid after the green card interview with citizenship and immigration services. The remaining $6,500 would go to the agency for paperwork.”

As I read the article, I noticed that a large part of the page was devoted to a story about a construction worker who married a Polish girl. I don’t understand how the article is directed to Russians when they are writing about other people from other ethnic backgrounds, it is upsetting and I find it very prejudicial.
(htt p://www.nypost.com/seven/07192009/news/worldnews/from_russia_with__180112.htm)

I’m aware of these practices and heard of people who have done this just to find a way to be able to live here in the U.S., but what bothered me the most is that they are only pointing fingers to the Russian community for participating in this activity, meanwhile there are many other ethnic groups who are doing this in order to get their green-cards as well. In fact, they mention that it is groups of Eastern Europe, so let’s not just assume that it is Russians only but take into consideration the illegal activities such as these fraudulent marriages that goes on within other groups as well.

A lot of people who come to the U.S. from other countries try to find ways to be able to get their citizenship no matter what it takes because it is so hard to attain it so they are faced with this temptation, and though it is wrong, I think people should be careful when addressing an issue that does not only involve one specific group but many others. In my opinion, this makes the article politically incorrect.

Long Island, Home to a Russian Cultural Center

2009-07-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to the leader of the only Russian cultural house in America, Sunflower Center, Marina Terentieva. I know many people who have had the dream of opening such a place but now there is actually someone who has taken that step, worked really hard and as a result we can see that the center is growing as each day goes by. This venture all started with her children learning Russian in which she then realized that it would be a good idea to open her own center that would provide services such as learning Russian.

Sunflower Center inspires and encourages families to learn and develop skills in different areas such as in education, recreation, performing arts and social skills but it is not limited to just that. So there is a wide range of activities one can choose from when they join Sunflower Center (www.sunflower-center.com).

Terentieva wants to help people develop skills that will be useful in life and that will serve as a way of finding their true passion and reach their dreams. Sunflower Center is a place where people, especially those of Russian decent, can come together, socialize, network with one another and bring their children where they can be instilled with Russian culture in order for them to pass it on and keep it alive.

The center also serves as an opportunity for professionals in music, art, sports etc. who have a language barrier and would have some difficulties finding a job here in the states, to come and teach in the special programs the facility provides. Terentieva remains connected with America as she is opened to receive other ethnicities to come and join them to do something positive within the Long Island community. She is now receiving people from Queens and Brooklyn and hopes to impact the lives of many.

For more information on Sunflower Center you can visit:
www.sunflower-center.com

262 Glen Head Road
Glen Head, NY 11545
Tel: (516)-277-1515
Fax: (516)-277-1516
Email: sunflowercenter@gmail.com

Final Thoughts on Moscow International Film Festival

2009-07-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I will finish sharing with you some information on the Moscow International Film Festival I attended a few weeks back.

I spent most of my stay attending film screenings day and night. Little Moscow was another movie that I felt was beautiful and was one of the movies that participated in a competition. The movie was about the Russian army in Poland after World War II and how KGB took over soldiers’ families retaining them from the outside world so that they would not be influenced by Polish rule. It also told a love story about a woman who was the wife of an officer who ended up falling in love with a Polish officer. The star of the movie Svetlana Chodchenko who played this part was incredibly beautiful, with a strong posture and ability to deliver emotional scenes. She was very well suited for the role in this romantic movie, she sang in Polish a few times throughout the movie, her love story became a legend in the town and everyone thought she had committed suicide after giving birth to her love child. The creators of the movie suggested KGB killed her because she was supposed to divorce her Russian husband and marry her Polish lover as an example to other women. The film was a pure beautiful Hollywood like story with wonderful imagery.

I also saw a movie titled Ward 6 by director Karen Shachnazarov that was adapted into a modern day Chekov novel. The beginning was amazing as patients were shown speaking about their lives and struggles. The young actor looked like Michael McDowell and I know the fascination that Shachnazarov has toward this particular actor who starred in one of her movies Czar Killer. The young actor was very believable and executed his role really well which I cannot say of the main character Vladimir Ilyin. This famous actor seemed like he was lost in delivering the role and didn’t know the purpose of playing the character he was given.

I was impressed at the presence of the media during the press conference. I counted about 15 cameras and there was a large group of other media reporters in the audience. I know that all the tickets to the screening were sold which is a good thing since this movie, in my opinion, shows a fine line between a normal and abnormal person. In my opinion, the movie was very symbolic for the director who is also the Director of MOS Films, who expressed that it means nothing if you are in power today because you may not have that power tomorrow. She noted the importance of giving those who have suffered throughout their lives because of a health condition or mental disorder and cause them not to develop like normal people, the chance of living a regular life and giving them hope and simple jobs instead of separating and hiding them from the world around them.

The MIFF has allowed me to see how Russia is willing to improve society and hopefully through these movies many eyes will be opened and lives will be encouraged to hope and work towards building a better Russia.

Behind the Moscow International Film Festival

2009-07-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of attending and participating in the Moscow International Film Festival from June 19th to the 28th. I had a wonderful time and I watched many films throughout my stay. I was present on the day they announced the grand prize winner of the festival, “Pete on the way to Heaven” by director Nikolay Dostal and producer Fyodor Popov. I was very pleased with the outcome since the film was very compelling. It told a story about love, hope, compassion with mild humor. The story was about a man who was mentally disabled but despite his situation he was accepted by those around him and took place before and right after the death of Stalin. Though it had a tragic ending, it was a brilliant movie. I met and spoke with the honorable director of the film who was very kind, caring and sees the good in people. In addition he praised the American people for choosing an African American president; this is very unusual for I heard a woman saying “they placed a person of color on this post because nobody wanted to clear the mess of the American economy.” His work was inspiring and brought much happiness.

I was told that during the last 6 years of MIFF four Russian movies have been grand prize winners at the Festival. I was surprised at the multitudes of people that I found at the theaters. Everyday the theaters were packed with people sitting, standing, you name it. It was overcrowded but it is a good thing for the organization that puts the festival together, the President of the festival Nikita Michalkov was overjoyed by its success. Most of the people that gathered at the festival were young and hip which created a youthful atmosphere.

I was mostly interested in the Russian films that were being screened; they had a special program for Russian films which is where I spent most of my time. Within that segment we were able to view three movies a day which kept my schedule pretty busy. One of the movies I saw was entitled “Kislorod” where many people in the audience had to stand and sit on the floor for this viewing. The film was incredible in terms of brightness and talent. It was very uplifting, dynamic and a film that young audiences from around the world will enjoy. The film was composed of several stories which made it quite interesting, a bit confusing and unique.

Another film that caught my attention was “Fairytale about the Dark” which was about the life of a policewoman somewhere in Serbia filled with drama and laughter as it demonstrated everyday life for a policewoman. The dialogue and the situations presented made the movie funny, and best of all, the director tricked the audience every time with an unexpected series of events such as the relationship of the main character and the homicide detective who surprisingly said “I love you” and walked away from him at the end of the movie, he in return, said “I don’t need you” and cursed leaving the audience wondering what was going on. It’s a great film to watch especially if you are interested in modern Russia.

Last but not least, I saw a very dark and depressing movie “Bury Me Under The Plinth” about a little boy who lived with his grandparents who suffered abuse from his family but despite the suffering he loved them because that was the only family he had and knew but eventually towards the end he learned how to be cruel. It was an incredible piece of work even though it was unbearably disturbing to watch and I didn’t agree with the idea or concept of the story but the director developed the movie stupendously.

There are more and more things to say about my trip and the festival but I will leave you with this for now. Stay tuned for more.

To be continued…

IN THE HOLY FIRE OF REVOLUTION, a group of Russian Journalists were left outside fighting their way in.

2009-06-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

“I can’t believe it...it’s all my fault…I should’ve known better, why? How? Aarghh!”
-Thoughts of a disappointed group organizer.

A group of journalists from the NY Russian Speaking Journalists meetup group had been invited by the manager of the Human Rights Watch Festival NY Jennifer Nedbalsky to attend a special screening Monday evening. To our astonishment, when we got to the place they told us there were no tickets for us. Why? Because… they had sold tickets in the morning and did not reserve some for the group. Can you imagine that? After we had been invited 2 weeks ago and I had taken the time to arrange a group of 27 people to go, kept in contact with the manager about how many were interested in going who also told us there will be special discount tickets ($7) for our group, I’m found in this hole that I cannot get out of. I was so shocked, I could feel a burn rise in me, and I was trying to hide my tears behind my Armani shades. All Andrea Holley, Deputy Director of the festival could tell me was “breathe…there’s no tickets for your group.” Can you believe it? They didn’t try hard enough to help us out, what they could’ve done is:

• Steal reserved tickets
• Put a barricade for us to enter before other guests
• Fight those who were inside already with a tear gas grenade

I can go on and on but I’ll let you fantasize on your own.

For Christ’s sake! They had even promised to have a separate room for us with some benches and chairs after the screening to hold a discussion about it with John Biaggi, Director of the festival.... No guarantee though; only a suggestion.

All I can do now is take it easy, I can’t believe something like this happened, a group so eager to attend and cover the event (who should have been able to go in because they would’ve covered the event) so that the Russian speaking community could be informed were left out on the curb, waiting on line like everyone else meanwhile we had been one of the first to arrive to the event, unbelievable! We know that they need to spread the word about human rights suffrage in which we would have been of great help in doing that, but who knows maybe they were trying to hide something because we felt like our rights were taken away at the event. We suddenly became beggars asking and pleading to let us in or work something out but no one could do anything. Now tell me something, how are they going to advocate and help those who are suffering because of human rights when they can’t even help us in this situation? No one even bothered to apologize. Instead of Garry Kasparov being detained we felt like the detainees fighting for our human rights. What a night. I believe someone should apologize for putting us to shame.

Kids Say No to Smoking

2009-06-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my client held an awards ceremony in celebration of the winners of the “Kids 4 Kids” Anti-Smoking Campaign Drawing Contest. Though it was a challenging project to work on, since it was the first time that the Russian American Dental Association created a contest for kids, Dr. Rada Sumareva, President of RADA was truly a hero. She came up with this wonderful idea of getting kids involved in a campaign where they would be able to inform their peers and family about the dangers of smoking by using art as a form of expression to deliver their messages. In addition, Doctor Sumareva created a beautiful magazine with the winning drawings which was distributed to all the guests.
What is the reason behind this project? Well, as the Vice President of RADA Zeff Kauffman put it, “we are in a frontline in fighting against smoking.” Dr. Sumareva is a dentist who is devoted to fighting for this cause so that the public may be encouraged not to smoke and pass on the word.

Dr. Sumareva has children of her own and is passionate about educating them. They both play a big part in the work that she does and were of great help in this event. Her youngest son Robert who is six years old was the star of the event. He had prepared a speech in advance to share with the audience. Before the ceremony he shared a story with me about someone he knew who smoked. I had to laugh at the way he was telling it because it was cute and funny, but he then paused to ask me what was so funny, as smoking is not a funny matter; I just smiled and said you are right it’s not funny. When it came time for him to deliver his speech, and his mom Dr. Sumareva asked if he had anything to say, he just said “I Love You” but then continued by saying “smoking is bad, smoking is dangerous, say no to smoking” then he threw some empty cigarette packs in the garbage as a symbolic gesture of saying no to smoking.
Everyone who attended, were very happy. Everyone received a framed certificate. First prize winners received the certificate along with a $200 American Express gift card; second place winners were given the certificate with a $100 American Express gift card; third place received certificate with $50 gift card and those who were chosen for honorable mention received the certificate with a $25 gift card as well. So no one left empty handed, I even received a certificate for assisting in organizing the event. The parents were very proud of their children and their work and took endless pictures throughout the ceremony.
In my opinion, the true hero as I mentioned before was Dr. Sumareva who volunteered her time and effort into preparing and running this wonderful event.

"Onegin" A Must See Ballet

2009-06-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

On May 29th I had the opportunity to attend Boris Eifman’s Ballet “Onegin” inspired by Pushkin’s novel Eugene Onegin. It took place at the New York City Center. I believe that Eifman, Artistic Director is a genius. Towards the end of the 1st Act my eyes were filled with tears as I watched the relationships between Onegin, Tatyanna and Lensky unfold. It was very touching and at the same time, unusual to be impacted so quickly that everyone I spoke to about the ballet, were surprised at my amazement.

It is a wonder and a high art especially for those who have seen it, when you can describe in movement the emotions of love and friendship. One of the main questions that lingered in the minds of the audience was what the ballet was all about and where it took place, which for me it didn’t really matter where it took place whether it is Modern Russia or not, what I’m interested in, is in the story and the relationships within. The story was written centuries ago by the great Alexander Pushkin, which by the way, his 210th birthday just passed and we saw the show one week before it. Pushkin told about the importance of relationships and the search of the Russian soul, where surroundings and external circumstances do not really matter as much as love.

As the show went on, many were surprised and even outraged that the story took place in modern Russia after the Afghan War and the “Russian Revolution” in 1991. We saw some of these scenes played on stage from those events. One of the things that impressed me the most about Onegin and Lensky, was not only their friendship but the love for each other, the details of their attraction was something so beautiful. Onegin and Tatyanna also had good chemistry and what amazed me about Maria Abashova (Tatyanna) was her aristocraticism. I was also pleased to learn that Dmitry Fisher (Lensky) was from Ural just like me, and I was able to identify with him and was drawn to his character, which was a little strange. I was disappointed in the 2nd Act it was not impressive and share these same feelings when I saw Eifman’s ballet “Tchaikovsky” where the 2nd Act was not all that great either in my opinion. On the other hand, the first act was a total success for me.

I was flying with my emotions in this ballet. I thanked the producer Gaiane Danilian for bringing this wonderful show to NY. Before the show even started, Gaiane gave her husband Sergei Danilian who is the head of Ardani Artistis Management flowers, who on behalf of Russia’s Foreign Affair Prime Minister Sergey Lavrov, accepted a medal for strengthening the ties between Russia and America. Even though it was strange to do this before the show, I understand why they would because it was a full house and everyone would be able to participate in this acknowledgement. Danilian has received three Golden Masks in Moscow for producing “Diana Vishneva: Beauty in Motion”. One thing that surprised me was that no one was there to take video footage or pictures of this short ceremony. Overall, I was very happy at the end and glad that I was able to be part of this artistic production which really inspires and takes me to a 7th Heaven.

Care to Criticize?

2009-05-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

I was reading an article about advanced blogging and it spoke about how bloggers should criticize themselves from time to time. The idea of criticizing is very unusual, since I was born in the Soviet Union and people usually keep to themselves because of the fear towards authority. On the other hand, I am opened to people that I’m close to which means I am close to you as well since you have become part of our community. I have grown to be confident and much more opened with those around me.

I can say that I’m a very optimistic person which is a good characteristic for someone in the field of Public Relations; I like to see the good in people and stay positive even when things go wrong. I never hold any grudges; I brush it off and continue living. I like to hear the opinions of others, I’m interested in what they have to say and offer.

Since the time I have joined the blogosphere, I have come to realize that we have created a community here. I can see who comes to visit the page and where they are coming from, which I find very interesting. I would love to engage in conversation with you and get comments or opinions about me and my postings. I am opening the doors for all of you to tell me what you would like me to blog about, what things you are interested in, or what you would like to know about life as a Russian living in the Big Apple. I encourage you to give me some feedback which can be of great value for me, I can write upon your requests and give my insights and views on the subject. Also, it can serve as a means of criticism for me. So don’t be afraid to talk, I will be waiting.

i'm in love with a fairytale!

2009-05-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

Eurovision Song Contest 2009
This weekend was the finale of the European Song competition where countries from all around Europe compete to represent the best song. There were 42 countries who participated in the contest but only one winner and two runner ups were chosen. Many of the participants were young performers with a few exceptions like Patricia Kaas of France.
This year’s winning song was “Fairytale” by Norway’s very own Alexander Rybak. This song told a story about love, how he had lost it and wants to find it again. Rybak is a 22 yr. old who celebrated his birthday on May 13th and was now awarded this prize on May 16th. He was very opened and generous with his emotions and passion. Singer has a very powerful voice and in addition, he played the violin during the perfomance. Rybak represents globalism at its best for he was born in Belarus, speaks Russian and then moved to Norway at the age of four where he now resides. His energy and passion truly captured European audiences all around. The second place winner had two times less votes then the winner which marked Rybak as the number one pick without any doubt.
One of the biggest surprises for me as I watched the show was the female singer that was chosen to represent Russia but was practically singing in Ukrainian which that’s what she is. It was very ironic to see this, a Ukrainian representing Russia; it’s like a Former Soviet Union kind of "local" globalization.
The organizers of the show also had a short televised comedic session where they showed a group of tourists on a bus and a tour guide who was speaking about Russian myths. She gave examples like, it is not true that there are bears in Red Square, but then we see some people dressed in bear costumes surrounding her. She then said how it is not true that it is always cold and snowy in Russia but then you see some snowing and people dressed in warm clothes. She alo said it is not true taht the country ruled by KGB and then we see the how the KGB people dressed in dark suits showing red IDs. Another one was, how people say Russians eat caviar with a spoon instead of a spread, and this in fact she sadi was a true statement. It was very funny and entertaining.
Russia really out did themselves in putting together the show, they had all of their best hosts which include Russia’s number one host Ivan Urgant and singer Alsu who both spoke in three languages, lighting was from England, sound from Germany, they had performers from Cirque du Soleil of Canada, and even Argentinean clear swimming pools hanging down from the ceiling with women swimming in it. It was spectacular, and to top it off, they had the famous snow from Slava’s Snow Show in the beginning and the end of the show. It was very entertaining and showed that Russia can handle this type of event, it showed its national pride and patriotism and they doubt that Norway would be able to outdo them next year.

Meetups Get Better and Better

2009-05-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

Pictures by Boris Tenzer

Meetups Get Better and Better
It seems like our meetups get better and better each month. This past Thursday, April 30th we held our monthly get together which was again a huge success and had over 40 people attending due to the fact that everyone likes the idea of coming together and sharing information with one another. It is impossible to write down everything that happened but here is an overview of the night.
We had the honor of having Anne Cooper, professor in journalism of Columbia University in our midst. Despite current media outlets shutting down, there has been an increase in student applicants enrolling into journalism programs. It is as if these young people know something we don’t because of their interest in the field. Cooper then moved on to speaking about her experience as a journalist and the collapse of the Soviet Union. She worked in National Public Radio during the Russian Perestroika and was amazed at the work that journalists had put into their stories; how brave and eager they were about reporting, especially on the Putch. Cooper shared with us a book she brought with a collection of articles with explosive headlines. She spoke about those young politicians who fought for civil rights during this time and how deeply saddened she was when she went back to Russia and found that those young politicians and journalists, had sold their souls and became businessmen and corrupted writers instead. Right now she believes it is dangerous to have a different opinion in Russia and exemplified it with a meeting of about a couple of thousand people at Pushkin Square in Moscow where Gary Kasparov spoke. She said it is unfortunate that the government cannot tolerate a small group of people and surrounded them with heavy armed Special Forces. The funny thing is, when they arrested Gary Kasparov, they didn’t confiscate his cell phone and he was able to give interviews straight from his cell. Vladimir Lensky was very professional in moderating the conversation with Cooper. They had everyone’s attention; it was incredible to hear the stories that she had seen with her own eyes.
After Anne Cooper, we had the privilege of listening to Marina Razbezhkina who has created 35 award-winning documentaries and 2 feature films. She is a professor at the Film and Television School in Moscow. She spoke about the difference between television journalism and documentary film making. When she is in the classroom, she prohibits her students from using music, narration, zooming and tripods, the reason being so that they can manage their camera as an extension of their hands and body to create their work. The students all take the roles of cameramen, director, editor, etc. to learn about each position. When students enroll in the school, they are required to have a camera, it doesn’t matter if it is professional or not, that’s all they have to bring in to class. Then we laughed when she was telling us about the creation of her brilliant film “Time of Harvest.”
After this discussion, Razbezhkina showed two short movies one 17 min. “Nikita and Nikita” long and the other 38 min. “Lenin Live.” The 1st movie made us cry. It was based on a boy suffering from cerebral palsy. The second had us laughing out loud we couldn’t hold back our tears for how much laughing we did. It was about a man impersonating the life and struggles of Lenin. The movie had subtitles for those who didn’t understand Russian.
Aside from our guests, Svetlana Vais owner of the Interart Gallery had invited an amazing painter Ilya Shenker who had an exhibition in the gallery. We congratulated him and Boris Rabiner, veterans during WWII, on the Victory Day as a celebration of the 64th Anniversary of Russia’s Victory in a week from now. It was a wonderful night. We left the gallery at midnight that’s how great it was.

Launch of New Channel-TV1000 Russian Kino

2009-04-22T09:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I attended the launching event of Viasat's TV1000 Russian Kino premium movie channel on Time Warner Cable. This channel is available 24/7 with 8 to 10 U.S. TV premiers per month, 11 different movies each day, more than 200 movies per month, as well as thematic weekend marathons featuring favorite actors, directors, and genres. It was first launched in Russia in 2005 and was later on brought to Time Warner Cable New York on February 4, 2009; you can find TV1000 Russian Kino on Time Warner Cable channel 526.
The event was held at the famous Russian Samovar restaurant at 6:30 pm sharp on its most beautiful room on the 2nd floor. I saw many familiar faces among the crowd from Russian American papers. A few speeches were given by distinguished top management of the channel, and Natalya Nemova,Commercial Director of VIASAT in Moscow was also present. I had the pleasure to speak with Tony Wawryk, Business Development Director of Viasat Broadcasting who told me about the ambitious plans they have to involve the Russian speaking community where they will be holding special screenings and events to let the public know about the channel.
The event was well-organized, very businesslike and professional. Everything was done in a timely fashion, very precise and straight to the point. The top management team took time out to speak to guests and give them details about the channel. They were willing to answer questions and speak to those interested in business opportunities as well.

A New Journey Begins for NRS

2009-04-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

As we mentioned on our previous blog, we want to update you on what is going on with NRS. Many gathered together to celebrate the new era of NRS as they entered in competition with dozens of weekly newspapers. It was the last supper for NRS and the fusion of reporters who have worked more than a decade in this paper. Now the young and beautiful who are left are converting a good paper into an excellent paper.
Their pamphlet states the reasons why they chose to go in this direction. The picture in the pamphlet shows the blend of staff reporters who were given the bad news that they were being laid off and those three reporters who are now left to cover day to day news weekly.
The new version of NRS will be published tomorrow April 17th. As good as the paper was, is now going to become an excellent one because of the great emphasis it will now be putting on women issues and health . They will also present to their readers their first New York Times insertion which included a few chosen articles translated into Russian. We saw the pilot of the insertion on March 21st. Many journalists in my circle of friends say no one will be interested in reading these insertions because of the seriousness it portrays which the Russian speaking community is not used to this style of writing. In my opinion, I thought the articles were interesting and very informative and best of all they were written from the American point of view compared to other Russian papers who simply reprint articles from Russia, and often you find that Russian propaganda is being printed in the US with the exception of some papers, in which many readers have become outraged about it. We hope for the best as they journey off into a new adventure.

A Not So Happy Ending

2009-04-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow will mark the birthday and funeral of the oldest Russian daily paper in NY Novoe Russkoe Slovo. What started 99 years ago it’s now history and the last issue will be published tomorrow April 10, 2009. It is unfortunate that we are losing this historical and respectful paper that has stayed strong until now, but even though it will not be published daily it is now joining the population of weekly papers where many fear that it will not survive as a weekly paper because somejournalists believe the weekly paper will be an agony, so they assume it is already buried.

This change began as salaries from NRS were delayed for months and the company was trying to sell the business to a different owner but no one wanted to buy it. A few weeks back, they cut down on their staff from reporters, editors to IT specialists. There are now 3 top managers those being the Editor in Chief, General Manager and Accountant and 3 journalists left wandering around in their luxurious office complex in the Empire State Building paying $20,000 of rent. The rest of the reporters are now freelancing.

It is ironic that they announced their partnership with the NY Times while the paper is on its last issue. This partnership has allowed for NRS to insert NY Times news that have been translated into Russian in the paper. These inserts were done by Masha Gordon but we have recently learned that she was let go by NRS, and now the editor of these insertions is NRS Accountant Victoria Gukaeva.

On Tuesday April 7th they were celebrating the beginning of this partnership and now tomorrow they will be mourning for NRS daily paper. All staff reporters are prepared to receive news about whether they will continue to be part of NRS or if this is it for them. We will find out tomorrow and keep you posted on the outcome.

Leonid Nikityansky of Novaya Gazeta

2009-04-07T18:30:00.000-07:00

By Lidia Talai

Our most recent Meetup took place on Friday April, 3 in InterArt gallery. We were fortunate to have Leonid Nikityansky a prominent journalist writing for “Novaya Gazeta” as a guest speaker. Leonid came to the United States to present his research paper on the power of “menty” (corrupt policemen) in modern-day Russia. Meetup community certainly had a lot of questions to ask on the subject and the general situation in Russia today. Leonid has a legal degree and is interested in the development of the legal system and courts in Russia. He brought 6 Russian jurors on the trip with him and discussed in detail the role of jury in Russian courts. Recent amendments to abolish court jury for decisions in cases of extremism or espionage raised concerns in Russia and abroad. Leonid discussed them with us all and gave his insights. Two ladies from Vladivostok raised questions about the situation in the Far East and the recent taxes on imported cars.
Leonid’s belief in change (even if miraculous) in Russia and his optimism deeply touched us. He shared thoughts about "Novaya Gazeta" and its role in keeping the remnants of freedom of speech afloat, about President Medvedev's upcoming interview to the newspaper. When discussion moved to the tea table, topics shifted towards art, people and mentalities in Moscow and New York and cooperation between Russian journalists in Russia and the United States.

Hilarious Show with Mickey Rourke

2009-03-30T08:49:00.000-07:00

The other night I sat down to watch a very popular show on Channel 1 from Moscow called ProjectorParisHilton where they had invited Mickey Rourke to come on the program. I was surprised to see Mickey Rourke with a high ponytail on his head, but it looked good on him. It was funny to see the four hosts trying to communicate with Rourke now that they only spoke Russian and he only spoke English.

Despite the communication barrier the show went on where the hosts gave their insight on the latest Oscar results, how they did not agree with the winnings, believed it was unfair and thought of it as cheating. They decided to restore these mistakes by supporting Mickey Rourke where they took plastic flowers, an Oscar statue and announced “the Oscar goes to…Sean Penn!” It was hilarious. The hosts told him he can still have the award and Rourke replied by saying that he already has it, slams the statue and breaks it.

After that, I saw Mickey Rourke pull out a cigarette and begin to smoke in the studio which is something no one does especially in such a prestigious TV network like channel 1, but because the nature of this show is very comical the hosts joined in and asked for a cigarette. In Former Soviet Union, they don’t really have access to American cigarettes so they all asked for two cigarettes where they would save one as a spare behind their ear. Once this smoking segment was done, Rourke offered to pour them some tea since that was the only thing they had there to drink but soon enough Mickey Rourke decided to ask his assistant who was in the audience to get some vodka and all of a sudden everyone was drinking vodka. Rourke even stood up and threw his glass and broke it as in Russian tradition , it was a crazy show. Since they had the chance to drink the vodka, one of the hosts as a joke said “let us toast for Russia and America to unite and become one country… Russia!” everyone was hysterical.

Today I came across some news about a young Russian singer named Irson Kudikove, 26, who has close ties with Micky Rourke. She graduated from a music school majoring in violin, she is also a basketball player where she graduated from the Olympic Reserve School and also has a degree in journalism, and an MBA in economics and finance from Francis King University in London. Now singer and actressin Russia , she is tall, beautiful and well-educated and her adviser is Alla Pugacheva who's the most popular pop singer in Russia ever. Mickey Rourke spent 7 days instead of 2 in Moscow promoting his movie “The Wrestler.” In Russian media Kudikove says the Rourke thinks of her as a fantastic woman and that he wants to marry her. She is probably in love with him and with his connections he may be able to make her a star here in Hollywood but as the NY Post states Rourke’s representatives did not return any calls.

A Phenomenal Night with Beth Knobel, Emmy Award Winner

2009-03-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

March Russian Speaking Journalists Meetup

Last night we held our Russian American Journalist Meetup which turned out to be a phenomenal night. We had the honor of having Beth Knobel who was the Moscow Bureau Chief for CBS News from 1999 to the end of 2006, along with a good group of well-known Russian Speaking journalists who are part of Russian American and Moscow media outlets and Heidi Brown of Forbes magazine who thinks of Knobel as a legend. Before she began, she asked the group what language they preferred for her to speak, and they said Russian even though the group that was there understood English very well.

Knobel spoke on her experiences when living in Moscow and trying to learn Russian, she had everyone laughing. She share her funny stories about getting in line in the store without knowing what was on sale 15 years ago or exchanging an empty bottle for a liquor with a taxi driver. She told us how she fell in love with a Russian guy and decided to learn Russian and become the average Russian instead of being a foreigner in Moscow. Knobel had to adapt to the customs and soon became familiar with them.

After her life stories, she discussed some of her accomplishments such as Emmy award winner for the coverage of the 2002 Moscow theater siege, and Edward R. Murrow and Sigma Delta Chi awards for coverage of the 2004 Beslan school siege and is working on a book with Mike Wallace. She was very pleased with the investigative documentary on the Moscow theater siege which took her 8 months to complete. She said it was a rare opportunity where she put all her heart into it. Knobel devoted a lot of time and effort in the Beslan School Siege story as well, which was also an investigative report on the terrorist actions that were taken at a school in Beslan where many innocent children were killed. It was unfortunate to see that only two million people watched this documentary out of the usual 10 million on the network.

When she covered Russian affairs she says that many were eager to speak in camera 15 years ago compare to nowadays when it was hard to find people to speak on the camera. Some victims involved in the Theatre seige, suffered from health problems that would cause them to faint or breathe without coughing. Until now, no one has taken responsibility for the unknown gas that poisoned so many and caused people their lives.

Knobel also mentioned that American TV networks don’t usually say much about what goes on in places like Russia, partially because American audience are not interested and in addition, the networks don’t have the money to nave news bureaus in foreign countries to fully cover such stories.

Most of the time, reporters go abroad and cover stories in other places when something major happens but they don’t constantly keep an eye on their affairs. It is more likely audience of NTV (Russian network) to know world affairs than CBS audience. She then encouraged the group to watch PBS news for it has the best journalism right now because of the different mindset inside the network.

Knobel is very grateful for her profession, for she has had the chance to meet interesting people like, Vladimir Putin, Boris Yeltsin, Michael Gorbachev, but the current President Medvedev whom many have a difficulty time pronouncing his last name here in America, there’s even was a piece on CBS where Katie Couric avoids saying his name and just says Russia’s President.

It was a great night for all our guests and Knobel was very generous in sharing information, her contact and answering questions. We all were simply grateful for Beth Knobel spending time with us.

Perspectives

2009-03-16T08:34:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to spend some time with a friend who is visiting NY for a few days and is well known in Moscow. He is one of the directors of a very prestigious educational institution in Russia. We had a conversation about different issues like politics, quality of life, leisure and more. It was interesting for me to see that even though we had the same upbringing and education we viewed a lot of things differently.
We discussed stability and how Russia is trying to create this image of being a strong and influential force in the world. Everyone has to expect the unexpected because there’s constant change in rules and regulations everyone in the world knows that the country is working its way up to becoming an authoritative country. Leaders of political parties and other social groups as well as rich people, have no protection over ending up in jail, their families can be threatened, and whatever the government says goes. Our guest didn’t seem to be bothered by this idea and I asked what if it happened to him, you never know what is in store for you.
Throughout the conversation our guest thought we have been influenced by the American media, but truly he was also being influenced by Russian media and are subjected to it even though he does not acknowledge it. Russians who live in Russia are very racist and they hold back when asked about other people of different ethnic backgrounds. Those who live here, though they are also racist, their children have become more open minded and have applied a lot of American lifestyles into their own which is good because this new generation will not be caught up in that same mindset that many Russians have had for many years.
The issue about fines in Moscow was then brought up and how people are now thinking twice about driving after they have drank two glasses of vodka because they can receive a summons of about $5000. We calculated how much you would have to pay if the police catch you drunk while driving which totaled $20,000. We know that in Moscow it’s a tradition to drink a lot so I think it is a good thing that they are doing this so that people would take precaution.
Another issue we spoke about was Americans adopting Russian children. In Russia, they have a law that if the child is sick they can be adopted by an American but if not they can’t be adopted. It is not very common for Russians to adopt and even though the government is trying to promote adoption among their citizens because of the lack of interest they place on the idea, it has not been effective. He doesn’t believe in Americans adopting Russians because of a recent incident that occurred where an American parent left an adopted Russian child inside the car and suffocated. This news was blown out of proportion in Russia, but really this can happen anywhere.
I thought that intellectual people from other countries would share similar views but with this experience it apparently does not seem like it.

Snowy Day not So Stormy

2009-03-05T09:58:00.001-08:00

On a stormy, snowy day where NYC closed all schools for the first time in five years, I still decided to take a trip to the city to attend the opening and reception of the “Return from Oblivion” presented by the Rachel Arts Mansion that was held at the very prestigious National Arts Club. This event featured art work of Nikolai Radionov. The Rachel Arts Mansion is named after Rachel Paulkman who organized this event. She welcomed everyone as they arrived to the venue.

Now a day I have become skeptical about art and could only critic it in terms of whether I like it or not. Sometimes it feels like some art work is disappointing because it’s as if the artists are trying to fool us with some of their techniques and portrayals. I think it is more important to feel and relate to what the artists are trying to demonstrate through their art work and try to visualize the story behind it. Out of all the art work I saw, one specific piece was resonant to me which was entitled “The Dance.”

Places such as the National Arts Club are great to socialize, meet new people and learn more about what is going on in the community. I happened to meet up with the owner of Russian Samovar, Roman Kaplan who invited us to his restaurant. He was very generous; he offered us some “blintz,” a form of crepe/pancake with some salmon, tartar, and his home-made vodka. He kept us entertained throughout the time we were there and laughed our hearts out. It was a wonderful way to end the night with this final touch of being able to enjoy some Russian cuisine with great companionship and entertainment to go along with it.

An Experience of a Lifetime. NY Russian Speaking Journalists February Meetup

2009-02-26T11:21:00.000-08:00

I can’t even describe the appreciation I have towards Paul Keegan’s talk with our Russian American meet-up group last night. It was incredible and I know I will treasure it for the rest of my life. Misha Gutkin of Voice of America initiated the conversation with Paul where he spoke to us about his work in various regional and national magazines and ways in which one can become an entrepreneur when contributing stories to magazines.

Keegan brought some of the magazines he has written for and is writing for with some prestigious ones like NY Times magazine and Money and Fortune. He was extremely generous as he shared with us the secrets of selling your idea to magazines and how to connect and get the attention of editors. With so many people getting laid off from print-media because of a decline in readership, Paul explains that you can become an entrepreneurial writer just as he has chosen to do where he has developed a unique way of writing that has taken him far and won him awards by contributing to different magazines. He doesn’t have to start all over like others, because he has built a good foundation with his writing. This way of working though requires self-discipline and good time-management. We kept him talking for two hours and asked him many questions which he kindly answered. We could have kept him for the rest of the night but we had other things planned in the agenda.

Dmitry Chuchlaev, RTVI News Anchor, introduced the next session which was the movie presentation of Roswell: Coordinates of the Downfall. He told the group that Vadim Militsin, creator of the film, is a golden pen of RTVI because he can create a brilliant piece of writing out of any boring subject. There were a lot of supporters in the audience of Vadim’s art. We then watched the movie and now I’m clear of what happened there, but I won’t say I’ll let you watch the movie on your own.

It is a pity for those who did not make it to the meet-up because they missed out on the revealing secrets of being a writer where you cannot find it anywhere else but in a circle of friends and enjoy the creativity of others’ work. It was an experience of a lifetime.

We are planning a field trip to BOOM a restaurant in SoHo where Paul Keegan sometimes plays jazz in. He is also writing a play and we hope to attend the show when it is produced.

Here is the information for the Restaurant where you can ask when the band is playing:

Name of the Band: The Buster Elliot Jazz Quartet
Next time they play Jazz is on Wednesday, March 4th

BOOM Italian Restaurant
152 Spring Street, between West Broadway and Wooster
Phone: 212-431-3663

Thoughts on The Oscars

2009-02-23T09:23:00.000-08:00

Like every year I could not miss the Oscar Awards, so I spend my Sunday night watching the awards with much anticipation. I thought the start of the night was great, touching and very entertaining especially with Hugh Jackman hosting and his musical tribute to the films nominated for Best Picture. As for fashion I was disappointed at a lot of the dresses, among the best dressed for me were Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston, Taraji P. Henson and Tilda Swinton whom to me is always stylish and elegant.
One of the most touching moments of the night, was when actresses who had been previous Oscar winners for best supporting actresses presented and described the nominees of this year. I thought it was very nice to recognize all of them and celebrate their work whether they received the award or not.
I’m not a big fan of Slumdog Millionaire who won 8 Academy Awards. I thought that the film was very fairytale like and it was as if Hollywood was celebrating Hollywood. Hardly anyone believed in this movie and it had a danger being released only on DVD and now we see it being on top of the box office with 100 million dollars. I believe it is true nobody can predict the success of the movie.
I don’t think Kate Winslet knows the difference between acting in a movie and acting in real life when she was receiving her award. Though she was trying to compose herself compare to Golden Awards where she was acting "Shock": and got critisied especially in England, for me she was again putting up a show and her words and emotions were not very convincing in her acceptance speech.
Talking about speeches, I don't like it when some people had to take out a small wrinkled piece of paper to read off names, I think it is embarrassing and there’s no need to mention every single name involved in the film making because industry insiders in the audience already know agent's names and the rest of the world coud not care less. If anything, mention those closest to you like your wife, kids or other family members... The beauty of those speeches are in being raw, anedited...I did not see it this year... Stil as for the best speech delivered, I have to give it to Sean Penn, who expressed his concern on social issues. I enjoyed Robert Deniro’s joke about Sean Penn when he said “You hid it for such a long time…” referring to his role as gay man in the film Milk even though he is straight, where he won the award for Best Leading Actor. But i wanted it to be given to Mickey Rourke! What's wrong with you, Academy?

Overall, despite the wardrobe disappointments, paper speeches and surprising wins I enjoyed it.

“Postcards from Hell” Movie Premier

2009-02-16T10:54:00.001-08:00

On Sunday, I attended a movie premier for “Postcards from Hell” by producer/director Edward Staroselsky at the Anthology Film Archives Theater. The movie was filmed in a Siberian prison and was a documentary based on the harsh reality of the Russian Penitentiary System in which prisoners attempt to escape through the use of the arts.

As the film rolled, I was surrounded with a dull and dark atmosphere that penetrated through the screen and stirred up a terrible feeling within me. The images and the scenes were so sad that I couldn’t understand how someone could survive in this condition, incarcerated in a gloomy cell. I tried to put myself in these inmates’ shoes but it was heartbreaking and difficult to imagine. One thing I didn’t like were the faces of the inmates which revealed a dark side to them, and you can tell right away that they were criminals. Among those prisoners, there were some young males who seemed pretty innocent and did not compare to the more mature ones, who didn’t seem like prison bothered them as much.

The purpose of the movie was to show the opportunity given to prisoners to find freedom and express themselves through art. Many of the artwork shown was very disturbing, it truly showed the way these inmates thought with no sign of light or positivity. It reflected the anger, the inner demons and the battle going on through their minds. The process in which these prisoners would create their art was not very pleasant, only one of piece of art caught my attention and that was one of man who created an iron rose which was beautiful.

The most impacting part for me was the part where they showed the women’s prison, I was able to identify with them more. There were three young women who you can tell were in a state of depression, their emotions were volcanic every time they would express themselves they would explode. It was a very dissatisfying experience I would say because it was very depressing to see how these people spend their life in jail even though they have the freedom to create art.

Opportunity Knocks

2009-02-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

On February 1 Direct TV announced the Merge 2009 First Annual Scriptwriting Competition that will be conducted by Persona Films. The competition is focused on the multicultural experiences in the ever converging global environment. A campaign will be designed to outreach the Russian American community to engage them in conversation about their views of adapting to a new way of life here in America and give them an opportunity to reveal their stories through a script. We believe it is an important and significant step for the Russian speaking community to be part of this, since they are ranked as the second largest ethnic group within Direct TV’s 17 million subscribers. This is a way of recognizing Russian American buying power and through this campaign their voice can be heard, beliefs can be expressed, and they can have a chance to be noticed internationally. Direct TV is one of the first companies taking a step to reach the Russian speaking community as an approach in bridging the gap between cultures and finding common ground with one another. I think it’s an excellent idea and look forward to seeing how it all turns out.

A visit to the Jewish Film Festival

2009-01-30T10:07:00.001-08:00

Early this week, I attended the NY Jewish Film Festival at Lincoln center where I went to see the film screening of The Gift to Stalin in the Walter Reade Theater. This film took place in a former Soviet Union Republic, Kazakhstan and was made in Russian. As a quick summary, the film was about a Muslim railroad worker name Kasym who saved a young Jewish boy named Sashka who happened to be an orphan whom he later adopts. Sashka, as time went by, began to adapt to the customs of the region and got involved in a Soviet-wide contest to give Stalin a present for his 70th birthday with the purpose of being able to ask Stalin to free his parents from labor camp.
The idea behind the film is wonderful where we see people with different religious beliefs and customs come together to live in peace and help each other deal with all of life’s difficulties during the reign of Stalin. I thought the film was poorly executed even though the character played by Ekaterina Rednikova’s, the prominent Russian actress well-known for her Oscar-nominated role in The Thief, was not very pleasant because she was the type of woman who men would take advantage of. Rednikova played her part very well, the funny thing is that despite her character, she looked too good for her role.
As for the boy who played Sashka, I don’t think he delivered the best performance. His acting was not believable even though usually children always give more purity than adults but it was not true in this case. After the screening, the audience had the chance to ask questions where the producer was there to answer. She mentioned how they had chosen the boy who played Sashka out of 600 candidates who auditioned. On the other hand, the main character Kasym did a fantastic job portraying his character; everything he did was believable and revealed truth. The producer says he is one of the best Kazach actors they have.
Overall it was wonderful, even though the film was not very well directed or could have been better. On the contrary, there was a full house, the story was good and I hope that the film made a big impact on the audience. People are stronger when they can communicate with each other and are able to live in peace and harmony with one another.

Russian American Journalists January Meetup

2009-01-23T09:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the NY Russian Speaking Journalist monthly meet-up, and as usual it turned out great. We had the privilege to meet and hear Heidi Brown, Senior Reporter of Forbes Magazine. She was fantastic! Oleg Sulkin introduced her to the public and moderated the discussion. Brown who's an expert of Russian affairs said it is unfortunate that sometimes reporters write about a country,who in their eyes seem like an enemy, as if there were never any changes in the country since the Cold War. She believes it is because of journalists from the ages of 50,60 or over who cover it, are not very open minded to the positive changes that have occurred in Russia over time versus the young generation of American journalists. She stated that in her opinion, Russia is learning how to operate in the Global environement. For example, when handling the Georgia situation Russia clearly did not care about the rest of the world's opinion when the recent situation with Gas for Europe the government was trying to communicate with European leaders about the issue and this is a big improvement in handling the situation. Brown spoke about the way reporters of Forbes magazine cover stories. They go through a procedure of writing a story and then they have the facts checked by another reporter. This is why it takes some time for the stories to be published.

She also mentioned about the integration between the Forbes internet issue and the magazine print edition. They were once two separate sources, but now whoever buys a page to advertise; they want cross platform advertising meaning to have an ad on the print, web and other promotional materials. Brown presented the difference between Russian and American journalism when covering a story. In Russian journalism, they look at their sources as being untouchable rather than questionable. On the other hand, American journalism distances itself from the sources of the story.

After she spoke, she was faced with some questions from the audience, and let me tell you the NY Russian Speaking Journalists is a tough audience but she handled each question gracefully and with a great sense of humor.

She then asked the audience if Paul Khlebnikov’s murder had deep impact on Russian journalism and to my surprise a few said that it didn’t. Heidi Brown expressed the unfortunate news of Forbes downsizing and letting go of 20 people last week. Because of major changes in print media she mentioned Rupert Murdoch predicted that in 20 years there will no longer be any print media.

The next guest speaker was introduced by Boris W. Anastasia Orlianskaya who spoke about the difference in working with STS and Channel 1 Russia. Channel 1 producers ask to appeal to a broader audience using a much more eloquent language when reporting. In contrast, when it comes to reporting about an entertainment issue on STS Channel you can speak however for it makes the story brighter and interesting. In addition, she mentioned about some kind of censorship on Channel 1 when reporters were not allowed to use the word “crisis” in regard to the recession.

Anastasia was surprised that people have come to believe whatever President Obama presents to them. In response, Viktoriay Kupchenestkaya expressed that Obama is the form of change who everyone is looking up to and being optimistic about America is ready for the change that he promised to lead. Lastly, Michael Gutkin added that “we are in Perestroyka." Everyone laughed.

We also had Alec Teytel, SVP and Managing director of Herald National Bank in our midst, who sponsored the meet-up yesterday. Everyone enjoyed the night; we spoke to each other and as usual were treated well by the owners of the Interart Gallery Svetlana and Konstantine Vais. It was a happy time for our small circle of colleagues and friends.

Thoughts on Miraculous Landing

2009-01-16T08:26:00.001-08:00

We have all heard the news of the miraculous landing on the Hudson River of the U.S. Airways plane yesterday. When this happened I was exiting the bus station on my way home to get ready for a Old Russian New Year’s party I was invited to Davidzon Radio party at Passage Restaurant in Brooklyn. I received a call from my husband whose company office overlooks the Hudson River in Jersey City and asked me “Do you know what happened? It’s all over the news, an airplane went into the Hudson River and people are standing on the wings.” I immediately turned on the news once I got home, and saw the image of the airplane floating on the water surrounded by ferries, helicopters, and the FDNY. News reports announced that all 155 people including crew members were rescued. As I watched this, I had tears in my eyes because I was proud of the action that NYC took in rescuing these people.

Later on as I drove in my car through downtown Manhattan, I saw many ambulances driving by and I listened to the radio where the Mayor was speaking about the pilot making a masterful landing and how grateful everyone was. I then arrived at the party where I met a cameraman who had received a call from Moscow asking him to cover the crash. I asked him what was he doing at the party and not taking footage but he said that he planned to go after the party! Two hours later I got a call from a reporter asking for my help to cover the story for a Moscow newspaper; we had heard that one of the passengers was Russian. A problem that many Russian speaking reporters face is that they do not speak English which makes it difficult for them to find contacts and information in order to cover stories such as this one.
Back at home, I watched a fragment of President Bush’s speech, which unfortunately was not the biggest news yesterday, I felt so bad for him.

Moving Forward

2009-01-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

The Russian Speaking community has had the privilege of having their own radio station in the tri-state area called Davidzon Radio on 620 AM. It has far been the only one that has remained and has served as an advertising outlet for different products and services. There have been many other radio stations that have tried to get aired but unfortunately have not been very successful. VSE radio was one that disappeared but one of its owners decided to start up a new one known as City Radio on 540 AM which only aired for 3 months. New Life Radio also tried to get aired on 95.1FM towards the end of 2008, but those who sold it did not have the right to do so and are now suing them for about $180,000 which has left the Russian Community with only Davidzon Radio. The management of New Life Radio is planning to finance and start up a new radio in the near future so we hope all goes well so that we will be able to have more than one radio station available.

Time of Thought

2009-01-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

On January 5th I attended the Laboratory of Modern Thought at a Russian Bookstore 21 with special guest speaker Michael Epstein from the Emory University in Atlanta. As I entered the premises, I began to listen to Epstein speak with such knowledge that I thought to myself this was a good place where many Russian speaking intellectuals gather and interact with each other. The theme of the discussion dealt with looking at both sides of someone who is considered a genius and those who act in a negative manner and opposes the actions of a genius. He said that geniuses, aside from their intelligence and when they are not creating a masterpiece, they can reveal anger and a negative attitude towards others and we should be aware of it. They’re not angels. He also talked about creature and creator having the same origins but different meanings.

Epstein’s speech was brilliant, intellectual, it demonstrated innovative thinking and it was different from the ordinary. He suggested new ideas and new perspectives. Marina Adamovich, the editor of New Magazine, was another guest speaker expressed her opinion that everyone is a creator in some way. She disagrees with the notion that if one is a genius they can be forgiven for their sins. She does not ask for their skill and ingenuity because it is just the way they express themselves and it is wonderful that we all can benefit from their talents.

Throughout the discussion, many questions were raised by Vitaly Komar, Leonid Pinchevsky, Olga Isaeva and others. The audience was eager to converse with the speakers but Epstein asked them to be patient until the last guest speaker, but they still asked questions anyway. An old man in his eighties from the audience stood up and said “stop confusing us, just tell us who's a genius and who's a smart alec!” It was hilarious, everyone in the audience began to laugh and I came to realize that it was not just a meeting of intellectuals but a mixed crowd where ordinary vulgar people also attended, not what I had thought at the beginning. After a while I left because I lost interest after everyone began to comment and ask silly questions.

Special Thanks to Our Readers!

2008-12-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

Hi Bloggers,

It brings great joy and satisfaction to see that you have taken out time out of your day each week to read our blogs, and as this year comes to an end and the New Year quickly approaches, we would like to thank you all for constantly visiting our blog Big Russian Apple.

We appreciate the interest you have placed on our blogs by reading them and we hope that in this New Year you can be encouraged to respond to our blogs, provide us with feedback and tell us what you would like to know or read about.

We try to cover different events that occur within the Russian Community in NY but are opened to other ideas as well. With your help we have been able to capture a wide audience, not just locally but also in the global spectrum.

via3pr and Big Russian Apple wishes you and your loved ones the best in the upcoming year. May all of your heart wishes and goals for the future be granted, not only in your personal lives, but in the workplace and businesses alike.

Celebrating the Last Ny Russian Speaking Journalists Meetup of 2008

2008-12-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

Last night the NY Russian Speaking Journalists meetup gathered one more time to celebrate the last meetup of the year where many came ready to have an enjoyable time together. It was an evening of happiness.
The group was privileged to be among the winners of the best short form music video of the Latin Grammy Awards 2008, Alex Topaller and Dan Shapiro. These young men were very inspiring to listen to and they were willing to answer all kinds of questions that the group raised throughout their presentation. It is wonderful to see young people who aspire to achieve their goals in life and are determined to work hard to pursue their personal objectives. To see them create such a beautiful piece that reflects their inner world and values, brings great motivation and enthusiasm to seek after your dreams. It is important that one enjoys what they do and stays true to their views on life in order to deliver something so well thought out and fascinating as Topaller and Shapiro have done.
They began to express the importance of relating your work to your own interests, for example they will not go into the genre of Hip-Hop because of its distinct views like artists glorifying themselves with expensive cars and naked girls, rather, they have found their specific taste in the music video industry which they will stick to it because that is where their motives and ideas are being reflected and they can relate to it. Another important factor when working in this type of industry is that in order to deliver something of high quality one must invest money into it. The creators when asked to work on such a project expect to get some money for it because it takes money and time to develop something such as a music video. Many people want to get things done fast and for a small sum of money, but if you want it to be good than you have to give up something to fulfill that, you can’t expect someone to be done with a job in a couple of hours.
Also mentioned in their conversation, was the fact that the music industry is suffering because of piracy causing labels to pay less for productions because people are not purchasing CD’s which has decreased profits in the music business. Youtube though, has been a great source to gain popularity from the public because it enables many to host their videos on their site bringing exposure to the artists and their music. Over three million people have viewed the “Me Enamora” video from Juanes directed by Topaller and Shapiro.
Lastly, they discussed the significance of listening to an artist’s lyrics to understand the message they are trying to relay and if the artist does not really mean anything by the song viewers can still appreciate the imagery and design of the video that matches their taste in art. They were very surprised when they received the award and got so much attention from the Russian community for their great accomplishment which awakened them to the ties they have with the Russian community. After receiving so much praise from the community they have come realize why it is of great importance for their parents and their family to see their children grow up into successful individuals.
The next speaker was Lidia Talai of the Epoch Times which distributes 1.2 million copies every week in 28 countries. It is the largest independent paper in the world. Talai did a presentation of the paper and also, patiently answered many questions from the journalists present. She gave everyone a copy of the Russian version of the paper and explained that the paper prints in the language of the country that is distributed in, which delivers news of that nation’s culture and includes some news about China. She then went on to give the group a glimpse and information about NTD TV. It is amazing to know people who report in both English and Russian just like Talai, they are very talented and focused on what they do.
To end the night we had a special time where Snegurochka Katya of Novoe Russkoe Slovo and Ded Moroz Boris of the Brooklyn Public Library handed out postcards to members where they had to write down a wish for someone for the New Year. Snegurochka Katya as creative as she is, invited each member to recite a short poem. Everyone was having so much fun that they did not want to leave so a couple of us decided to go out to a coffee shop to spend more time together.
The night was exciting and very enjoyable; it was a great way to celebrate our last meetup of 2008. I am very pleased with everyone who has attended the meetups, it is through your dedication and commitment to the group that we have been able to do this. Thank you all and have a wonderful New Year!

Russian Media Undergoes Change

2008-12-12T08:52:00.001-08:00

The world of media has faced changes over the course of time whether it is for the positive or the negative according to their circumstances. I have recently come to see that the Russian Speaking media are experiencing change among the different networks, where most, are having negative outcomes. Now a day, it is a trend for the journalism industry to use less people for news reports. TV networks are cutting down on expenses because of the decrease in the use of advertising due to the recession. The Russian American media is very small and does not really have anything that they need to cut or get rid off within their business spectrum, but apparently, there are changes being made.
When it comes to Russian TV networks we are seeing that they are now cutting down on their technical support. Because of the change in management in one major Russian paper from Moscow, its affiliate is also taking the same measures of changing its management team. Other papers are encouraging their reporters to become freelancers, this way they can lower costs. One other major Russian paper has not been paying their reporters for more than a month now, making it very difficult for these reporters.
It is very sad to see and hear about these people facing those problems especially when you have friends in the industry. I don’t want to admit that the Russian population is aging and, eventually, only a small audience will make use of Russian media. It is believed that Russian newspapers will no longer be around in the near future as a result of the decrease in its population. Though the existence of some Russian media will be present it won’t be the same as now because it is beginning to decline. A new trend is now popular within the Russian American media as reporters are now creating articles in both Russian and English. I hope that more English coverage about the Russian community will take place as some publishing companies have started to do like Russian Parents, Medical Office, and Metro Magazine, then we can truly say that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

Press Night at Slava’s Snow Show

2008-12-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

I have been given the opportunity to work alongside with those involved in the famous performance Slava’s Snowshow with publicity and marketing and it has really been interesting and a pleasure. Yesterday we held a press night for Russian-Speaking journalists where they had the chance to see the show and meet Slava at the end for a Q&A session.

During the performance I noticed that there were more adults than children who attended the show but I guess it didn’t really matter that there weren’t as many children because everyone acted as if they were a child no matter their age. The theatre was filled with laughter and smiles all around. Slava really brought out the joy in everyone. It was a spectacular performance. It felt as if we were taken into a fairytale world full of magic and wonder. Though the performance was 90 minutes it really did not feel like it, time was unnoticeable; you certainly forget about time as you get into the show. This performance makes everyone forget about their everyday life, problems, stress, crisis and anything else you could think of; it takes you to whole new different place, to a realm of fantasy and adventure. The best thing was that you did not expect certain things to happen which surprised the crowd and left the audience with expectancy of what may happen next and a sense of awe.

Slava involved the crowd throughout his performance, he did not just stay on stage but he would go up to people and interact with them. At one point, a child from the audience was taken to the stage since he was very much enjoying the show and laughing so much and so loud that they gave him the opportunity to have a shot on
the stage, it was great.

Following the show, Slava took out the time to greet people, speak to them, and give out autographs. The press then participated in the Q&A session with Slava where they asked him random questions and Slava was glad to answer. One of the questions that were raised to him was about the current economic crisis, Slava explained that he is not worried, and there is no such thing as a crisis for him. He says as long as there is enough money for food that is fine. After the press and Slava’s conversation they had a time to mingle and drink wine. It was truly a fascinating night.

Intellectual Night for Russian Speaking Journalists

2008-11-21T11:41:00.000-08:00

Before the start of our monthly Russian Speaking Journalists meet-up, I was worried about people showing up, as a result of only two people being at the facility at 7:00 p.m. However, it turned out that everyone was just running late and we had a long but great night.

Dmitry Gornostaev , Chief Bureau of RIA Novosti, was our honorary guest of the night. Gornostaev first began to give some background information about this Russian News Agency which has headquarters here in the United States in New York and in Washington D.C. The group along with Gornostaev held a very intellectual conversation where Gornostaev mentioned how “human touch” stories have become very popular nowadays, not only in Russia but everywhere; the reason being that people are interested in personal news stories. Afterwards, he added that it is a journalist’s responsibility to lead audiences to new levels where they can reach higher goals and expectations.

It was nice to have the young, smart, opened minded and focused Gornostaev among us. It exemplified the growth of a new generation of Russian speaking journalists. The audience loved Gornostaev; he answered every one of a million questions raised throughout the night. For instance, one group member asked, why many times reporters take something out of context, cut and paste it in every media outlet you could think of? His response led to the fact that, this is one of the disadvantages of using internet resources.

Misha Gusev editor of Novom Svete, who was moderating the conversation, also brought up the issue of keeping news “environmentally clean”. In other words, people usually want to know all the dirty secrets, but despite all of this, journalists have to be cautious about how they deliver stories so it does not seem corruptive.

All in all, this group session was very beneficial for everyone who attended. We received information that is universal, and that every reporter around the world could apply to their work. After this time of discussion, journalists were eager to brainstorm ways in which they can contribute and produce good news in the industry. Lastly, we brought up the idea of having our own website where everyone can take part in; write their own blogs and much more. Although we ended late, it was very productive for all of us.

Next month, we will have Lidia Talai from Epoch Times, for the first time at our meet-up group, to speak about Epoch Times, which publishes 1 million and a half copies daily around the world. To join the group please go to www.meetup.com and sign up for the Russian Speaking Journalist Group.

What would you consider more significant?

2008-11-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

We are currently working with two clients and we are trying to obtain publicity for both. These clients are reaching two different New York communities and it is interesting to see how for one it is very easy to get publicity while for the other it is a little more difficult. Why is that?

Our first client is trying to raise awareness for the very much overlooked disease (as we have come to see) of oral cancer by providing the community with a Free Oral Cancer Screening. This is an issue that everyone should know about for it is said to be a silent killer responsible for over 7,000 deaths each year. Wouldn’t somebody want to inform people about this matter? We have learned that not many dentists are checking for oral cancer and as a result we are seeing lives disappear because of it. We have been working hard to convey people to write about this issue and cover the event, but it seems like no one is interested or even cares. It is unfortunate that something that is offered for free and that is to benefit the lives of people is not being paid too much attention.

On the other hand, our second client’s publicity is much different. It is an entertainment issue of a much anticipated show that is coming to Broadway and EVERYONE wants to write about it and be part of it. Isn’t that something? Entertainment, one of the leading industries is of course a topic that everyone ones to cover as seen in this case. When I call people and ask if they would write about it they immediately say yes that they would love to, but when I asked about the oral cancer issue they turned it down. It seems like people, themselves, are afraid of this subject that they try to avoid it by giving their time to something else. This really got us thinking, but we will continue to be optimistic about our work and just hope for the best.

Slava’s Snow Show On Broadway!

2008-11-07T12:01:00.001-08:00

One of the most successful off Broadway shows has made its way to Broadway, Slava’s Snow Show. We are happy and privileged to be working with the show. Slava has become very famous around the world reaching 25 countries. It is now time for him to impact the lives of others in this new stage.

The show has chosen a good time to do the show because of current tensions between Russia and America. We hope that people can overlook this situation as this is a universal show; it is not just for Russians. It is an experience opened to everyone. We all go through similar problems and we all have the same basic needs such as the need for love, and now with the holiday season coming up, the show can help spread some peace and love among people.

Slava’s Snow Show is compiled of silent motions and expression, there is no script which allows everyone to sit back and reflect on the wonders that life has to offer. People can again feel like a child when everything was about imagination, hopes and dreams. It is a time where people can leave their stressful lives behind as they sit back and enjoy this performance. The most beautiful thing about the show is the ending when the snow begins to fall all around the theater; it warms the hearts of the audience and brings joy and happiness to every friend and family. I encourage everyone to take the time to see this wonderful performance; it is one that will truly capture your heart.

Seminar on Russian Children Adoption

2008-11-03T10:12:00.000-08:00

This week I attended a seminar that revolved around the issue of adoption of Russian-speaking children. The event conducted by RACH-C was very interesting and was filled with many honorable guests. The speaker of the night Dr. Lynn Visson was amazing; she was very engaging and well-spoken, guests were allowed to share their comments and the event was very well organized, as it started and ended on time, something that is almost rare to see in many occasions. She first began discussing the procedures of adopting a Russian-speaking child and the challenges of raising an adopted child as well as how to communicate well with these children.

During the seminar I saw how American guests were smooth and soft spoken as they shared thoughts and communicated their message. On the other hand, Russian-speaking guests were much more aggressive in their talk, which demonstrates the differences between the two cultures.

It was pointed out that Americans want and are interested in adopting Russian children. Though Russian authorities may be placing some obstacles on foreigners in order to adopt Russian children, as other countries are doing and even closing adoption to foreigners, for example Vietnam, I’m thankful for those who are trying their best to get around it. I believe because of this process more people are now becoming interested in the matter, and this idea is being promoted within Russia by government programs that are helping and encouraging Russian citizens to consider this matter.

The last speaker expressed an important point which was that instead of pushing these children to learn about Russian traditions why not first learn it yourself or together as a team, which can have a greater effect on both the parents and the child. When children are adopted by American parents most of them emerge quickly into American culture. The parents on the other hand, want them to learn about their background and culture and at times find it difficult to encourage the kids but with this idea of learning together it can balance out better. I believe that is a good idea and agree with what the speaker was presenting to the audience.

Russian Speaking Journalists Meet-up at Interart Gallery

2008-10-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

Last night’s Russian American Journalist meet-up group event was a huge success. The event was held at the Interart Gallery on Chelsea. A group of 30 respectful Russian speaking journalists attended and were excited about our guest speakers.

It was a privilege to have Adam Pemble from Associated Press TV in our midst. He was very engaging and had the full attention of audience members. He shared with the group his experiences and stories about working in Associated Press. Pemble informed us about how their news reaches about 5 billion people who are able to read and see news from all around the world. The stories he told were simple and touching, it was in fact a great example of storytelling in American media.

He then spoke about the current news very well known throughout the world, which is the crisis in Wall Street. He has found himself covering this event for a month and a half now, trying to find new and interesting information and viewing different angles of the very same NYSE building to add to his news coverage. As he spoke to different employees and those who work around the NYSE, he came across one individual who said that this downfall is a crisis because of none regulation of the market and the “evil villain” of greed. He believes this is the most important news in the world right now and is very enthusiastic to go and cover it again tomorrow morning.

As he delivered his speech and as he spoke to members, it made feel like he can be a show host someday, he has the charisma and personality to be one.

Our next guest was Ekaterina Barabash, who is a famous movie critic from an Independent Paper (Nezavivimaya gazeta). This part of the night was very heated. We constantly saw members simultaneously speaking, asking questions, answering questions even the questions that were not directed to them. One member asked a question about the halt the paper made on his war articles, which was answered by another person in the audience saying “because we now have peace.” (as a joke).

Barabash then spoke about her work as a movie critic. She does not believe in building close ties with celebrities and film directors for reasons of bias and preferences while giving movie reviews, so she keeps a distance from it. In addition, she is very happy to be working for this paper because they don’t ask her to go around digging out the dirt on famous celebrity couples, and don’t ask about writing gossip stories.

The last speaker of the night was our very own young and ambitious 26 year old Ekaterina Aleksandrova from channel 5 of St. Petersburg. Aleksandrova discussed the topic of media influence on young generation but she also talked about the lack of applicants in the field of journalism in Russian. She expressed that this is one of the reasons why young people are preparing themselves and seeking executive level jobs.

When she was asked if it helps that she is a young chief executive in a program for young people, she responded with a no, because she said that they converse with her like peers. She also pointed out that it is rare to have interns from universities in journalism because since they pay so much for school, they look for paid opportunities in order to gain something back.

Everything that occurred throughout the night was made possible with the help of Oleg Sulkin and Yana Krasilnikova both journalists of Novoe Russkoe Slovo and of course our hosts Svetlana and Konstantin Vaice from the Interart Gallery who provided a wonderful atmosphere that no one wanted to leave before 12 am which let us to be together for 5 straight hours. It was incredible! I also thank everyone for coming and making this night another interesting one.

Mermaid Spa’s Opening Night

2008-10-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

Last night via3pr had the privilege to organize the VIP Opening Night Event at Mermaid Spa in the Seagate area of Brooklyn. After all the calls and preparation, the inauguration of the newly renovated spa (otherwise known as a banya to the Russian speaking community) took place as the cutting of the ribbon segment of the night came about. It was a very important night for owner Iosef Feldsherov, since the spa complex had been closed for four years. VIP Guests began to arrive by 7:00 p.m. and among the many important people, we had the privilege to meet and speak with the 1st Russian speaking Assemblyman Alec Bruk Krasny who expressed his support to Mermaid Spa now that it is an opened door for people to hold new jobs, and as well it helps preserve Russian traditions.
This event was held for men only, where they were delighted with exquisite food and the accompaniment of the common drinks among Russians, vodka and cognac. Guests enjoyed and relaxed in the steam rooms, jacuzzi, cold pools and the green lawn. Another political figure that participated in this event Marik Davidovich thought everything was well organized and comfortable, now that everyone knew each other. The program was very concise with only two short speeches from politicians and of course Mermaid Spa’s very own Iosef Feldsherov with coowners Boris Kotlyar, Zina Kotlyar and Sasha Chlebopros..
Though we expected more people, those who attended had a good time together and by receiving free entrance passes to the “banya”, it was worth going to and sharing this night with colleagues and friends.

Is the Recession Affecting You?

2008-10-12T18:05:00.001-07:00

With talks of recession and the stock market’s downfall, I begin to wonder if everyone really is paying attention to the importance of this matter. While most Americans are stressing and going crazy about their economy, there are others in our local communities who are not very aware of the current economic situation.
When it was first heard that the Stock Market fell, I happened to be in Brighton, Brooklyn where I solely seem to be every time something happens. At that moment, I was feeling scared about this economic problem, it really made an impact on me, but while in Brighton, I encountered that most of the Russian community did not even know about the news. The reason for this is probably because most Russians only read Russian newspapers and international news seem to be released slower and therefore reach the Russian audience at a later time. I made a call to a very powerful friend in Moscow where I informed him about the current situation in America, and he expressed that Russians need not to worry, but I thought otherwise because I believe that it has a global impact and therefore everyone should care. It seems like I was right since we have reports about global impact of our stock market failure.
Later that day, I spoke to a few staff members from one of the Russian Radio Stations about this issue and they were also not aware of NEWS! Yesterday one well known in the community media owner man told me that Russian speaking community is so isolated that it does not even feel the impact of NYSE problems. While this economic crisis is not making an effect on the Russian community, soon enough is going to affect everyone, the middle class population is feeling it but after six months everyone will be part of this whole mess. So let’s hope for the best to come.

Bring it on!

2008-10-06T08:50:00.001-07:00

Now that summer is gone it seems like people have awakened with new challenges and ideas in relation to their work. We have been receiving calls left and right from clients willing to work with us and keeping us busy with new projects and events. This in fact, has left us with a lot of work but there is no need to complain, it just proofs that we are being effective and business is growing.
Though it is good to see clients eager to use our services, it can be a little stressful at times, especially when clients want you to complete a task in a short period time. Some of the challenges we are faced with are that sometimes some of our clients don’t realize that in order to organize an event, get the proper publicity, and see results is time consuming and cannot be done in a matter of two minutes, not even a week. Then we have third party people who are working on a project with us but decide it is ok to take the credit for our hard work. This is when it becomes frustrating and I get all nervous. But I don’t let that bother me so much because they are still my clients and I want them to be happy no matter the circumstances.
On the other hand, we can say that we do have clients who have been working with us and are magnificent. Though many times we may encounter some rocky roads in our work life, there are always those nicely paved roads that keep us going.
So, a word for everyone, bring it on! We will be happy to serve you.

Russian Play on Broadway

2008-09-26T10:57:00.001-07:00

An evening on Broadway…is in it wonderful to just take out time and enjoy some good entertainment? I think it’s delightful. I had the chance to go out this week and be part of the audience for the Broadway play The Seagull. The play revolved around the romantic and artistic conflicts between the four main characters of the story. It was a tragic comedy portraying Russian society but not so much about tradition, rather, the universal soul who is trying to look for its place in this world. It demonstrated the satisfaction of accomplishing goals through the use of our own personal talents.
The beginning of the play was as I would say “Amazing…!”“Konstatin” played by Mackenzie Crook immediately drew the audience’s attention at the beginning of the play when he came out alone and just stared at the audience, he really made the audience expect something spectacular. Surprisingly he did not play the role very well. In my opinion he just played words and I could not understand what he’s doing. “Trigorin” one of the characters played by Peter Sarsgaard was phenomenal though. In my opinion this was the best portrayed character of the night. Another of the characters “Arkadina” played by the famous Kristin Scott Thomas was also extraordinary, her portrayal was very aristocratic and she delivered a wonderful performance. As a Russian native I understood a lot of the issues and conversations taking place in the play which brought value to my culture and gave me the ability to analyze whether the actors were really portraying live and breathing people. Mostly actors did not fill characters with motivation and understanding of characters. The audience also was often laughing when they’re suppose to seat quietly and give some sympathy to the character. Was it happening because they expected a comedy? This play is about laughter through tears! It’s a tragedy with a smile.
At the end of the play I headed over to the Russian Samovar Restaurant a few blocks from the theater. The restaurant has a real Russian establishment and atmosphere. It was such a coincidence that after attending a play based on a Russian story that I would see the cast of the play in that same restaurant where I was able to meet them and congratulate Peter Sarsgaard on his performance. I guess it was a good combination for all of us. Overall it was an impressive evening where I had the privilege to see a Russian play in the heart of Broadway which motivates me to continue carrying on my Russian culture in my heart.

Conversations Spark up the Night for Russian Journalist Group

2008-09-19T13:50:00.001-07:00

Another night of intellectual conversation took place on Thursday, September 18, 2008where we had our monthly meet-up of the Russian Journalist Group. It was great to see new faces in the group who shared their passion for journalism and who came together to share their views and beliefs on different topics.
The meeting began with the introduction of Yuriy Bagrov by Misha Gutkin from Voice of America. Yuri Bagrov shared information about the beginnings of Russian Censorship and how it is being implemented in Russian media outlets nowadays. While working in Radio Svovoda as a reporter, he explained his work on the frontlines of Chechnya conflict and his experience during that time in the area of Ossetia. Bagrov mentioned how some of his colleagues, who are journalists, were killed or had disappeared while conflicts were taking place. He also shared his experience of escaping from Ossetia with the help of the Committee to Protect Journalists one year ago.
Misha Gusev, editor of “V Novom Svete” then continued with a conversation on literary magazines. Gusev discussed that Russian newspapers and magazines would finally disappear but that literary magazines will stand forever. The audience of literary magazines is relatively smaller than those of other media but this audience will continue to read these publications for their interest in them.
David Guy was the first person to introduce his literary journal, Time& Place and discuss it with the group. Time & Place is published quarterly and it includes a compilation of authors from all over the world who write in Russian. The magazine combines the works of men and women alike. Guy does not particularly enjoy the works of women, creating a bias against them because of the emotional and “teary” content in their stories. Moving along, Marina Adamovich then spoke about the “New Review” literary magazine. This magazine was founded in 1942 making it the oldest literary magazines around, with its distribution to 32 countries. Most of its subscribers are universities. Lastly, we had the privilege to have Larisa Shenker speak about Word Slovo where she fired up the group with her constant remarks when answering questions. The group began to ask serious questions with the intension of mocking her which caused great laughter around the room. At one point of the Q&A session, she became angry at one of the members and she threw her magazin to the audience. It was unbelievable!
At the end of the night, we began a conversation on the desire to have our own internet TV led by Tolly and it is going to be discussed during our next meet-up. Katya Aleksandrova of Channel 5 in St. Petersburg came up with idea for a discussion on how media outlets can influence the younger generations and everyone as a whole. Those two topics will be at the center of our conversation one month from now.
I am glad to announce that our next meet-up will take place on October 23, 2008 at the Interact Gallery where Yuriy Begrov will again be present to discuss more about Osettia.
Overall, it is amazing to make friends with others who share the same passion of journalism. We come together to share our ideas on Russian and American issues and our interest in the integration of American society while still keeping our traditions and cultures alive.

Russian Speaking Journalists meet-up at via3pr

2008-08-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, August 21, 2008 we hosted a meet-up at what other better place than the comfort of our own office via3pr, for the New York Russian speaking journalists’ meet-up group. The meet-up focused on discussions about the coverage of the Russia and Georgia conflict, as well as censorship. The group also had the privilege of meeting Program Coordinator, Europe and Central Asia from Committee to Protect Journalists, Nina Ognianova.
Guests began to arrive at the office at 6:30 p.m. and were delighted with some small snacks, drinks and pizza. After a while of greetings and introductions, the meeting began with the presentation of Nina Ognianova. She took the floor to inform the group about the organization and what they do. During her presentation, she mentioned that forty seven Russian journalists have been killed from 1992 until now. She explained how other journalists may have been killed aside from the forty seven but there is not enough information to prove if they were killed or whether or not they were involved in some type of accident. The Committee to Protect Journalists has been around for 26 years. They work towards keeping journalists safe and protected from any harm or even death and offer help in escaping these situations. They also help pay for any legal fees and other expenses.
The discussion of Russian news coverage and American news coverage in the Russia and Georgia conflict then took its place in the meet-up. The group discussed the differences in news coverage in Russian media and in American media. Members such as Misha Gutkin from Voice of America expressed his opinion about the New York Times not covering the Russia vs. Georgia situation very well. He said it was not the New York Times’ usual way of covering news; they only looked at how Russia invaded Georgia but did not mention or give any emphasis on how Georgia began the conflict by invading the province of South Ossetia. Gutkin suggested an idea to write a letter as a group, expressing their feelings about how the New York Times covered the event and have everyone sign it, but the group denied this idea because they agreed that Russian outlets had also covered the conflict improperly. Thus Russian speaking journalists do not have the right to complain. Journalists are still trying to adapt the best in American reporting: Oleg Sulkin gave his input as he expressed how difficult it was for him, as a reporter, not to add his own comments when covering these news, since in America it is not common for reporters to include their opinions on the story and he is adapting to American methods of delivering news. As an example of this, he mentioned how teenagers were at the center of the Russia and Georgia conflict.
After the discussion of the media and the conflict between Russia and Georgia, Victoria Kupchenetshaya then spoke about censorship in America.
Overall, the meet-up was a success. It was very beneficial for all of the group members and it was interesting to see the combination of different journalists’ and reporters’ opinions come together. Everyone listened to each other and shared their views throughout the night. Members had a nice time and are very enthusiastic about the next meet-up which will be held on September 18, 2008. Members are encouraged to register on meetup.com, NY Russian speaking journalists group to make planning and organization of future meetings more convenient.

Media Influence on Georgia vs. Russia

2008-08-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

I was surprised to hear about the Russia and Georgia conflict as I watched CNN reports, especially during the time of the Olimpic Games; for we know that during the Olympics all countries should beat peace with one another. Russia invades Georgia? Reporters killed? Missiles dropped? What is going on? As we hear more and more about the war in Georgia, the more questions about the reason for the war arise. Who is responsible for it all? How did it all start and why? Who is to blame?

It was to greater surprise when I went to Brighton and spoke to people about the situation. People seemed to have different opinion; they said that this time it was Georgia’s fault for escalating the war.

Brighton Beach Russian Speaking residents seem to be influenced by media outlets when it comes to finding out who started the whole conflict.Because most coverage of this event is dominated by Russian TV networks that are translated directly from Moscow, they have a strong opinion about Georgia being at fault.

We can speak about three different groups with different views. We have Russians living in Brighton who get their news source from Russian TV because of their language barrier, then we have those who are Russian but do not have access to Russian media and adapt the American point of view and lastly those who are in the middle who hear and have acces to both types of media but cannot choose sides and are left confused.

As you can see, it all depends on what source of news the information is coming from. Gourgian journalists and PR professionals appear to be more prepared and professional when covering the event which influences American people to believe that it was because of Russia that there is war. It seems like Russia has lost an information war already. Most English- speaking individuals only know one side of the story.

As for myself, I contemplated on this current issue, as I took part in a gathering of Russian-speaking intellectuals of New York to watch Katherine the Great Musical Chronicles staged in Ekaterinburg of Russian Federation, composed by wonderful Serge Dreznin. I asked my colleagues for their opinion on the issue and like many I spoke to, they did not understand why this was happening and were very much confused.

I then understood why they probably felt this way because I feel like I have been put on a spotlight these past couple of days when it comes to answering questions about the war for I myself do not have answers. I believe that anyone who starts or is involved in a war is wrong. Even though things are not going well in Russia just being able to watch this epic musical about Russian history made me feel proud of my culture.

Aggressive Residents on the Rise…

2008-08-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

It seems like every day complaints are increasing and new laws are being passed as a result. Here’s a question, should businesses really be fined for advertising their products and services? According to a recent New York Times article, “An Effort to Halt Unwanted Paper Deliveries” state law will begin to fine advertisers who violate the law by placing fliers and other material promoting businesses in homes and apartment buildings that are not interested receiving these offers.
These fines range from $250 for the first violation to $1000 after more than one offense. Residents want distribution to stop. Small businesses are being crushed by this new regulation for it is one of the ways they utilize in order to grow and be recognized. With the economy struggling and the influx on prices, businesses are not only declining in profit but also in customers.
It is a shame that New Yorkers have become unsupportive to society. It is clear, that yes, many a times, junk mail can be overwhelming and vexatious but it can be beneficial to some. Offers such as discounts on clothes, travel and dining can relieve the load of overspending. Think about it? The more discounts, the less money spent and the more money gained. Why be so aggressive to these ads? Throw out the junk and try new offers, you never know what you might find. Let’s show our local businesses that we care, they are a part of us and therefore should not be overlooked.

NYC antisocial?

2008-08-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

Wednesday July 30th, we held our Greet and Share event in our new office building for other businesses within the building. The goal was to meet other businesses, network with neighbors and learn more about each other and the neighborhood. Refreshments were prepared activities were organized.
There are approximately 60 businesses in our office building and every one was invited. Follow up e-mails and phone calls were made. While during the original invitation the response was overall positive, during the follow up phone calls it was mixed. Many said they would attend, while others had great difficulty comprehending us. In the end, unfortunately very few people attended. Nevertheless, we were delighted to meet the owners that did attend and very much look forward to building a successful business relationship with them.
Many businesses located in the building seemed to have very owners who are not interested in socializing outside the office. So we got to thinking, what causes this lack of enthusiasm for meeting the neighbors? Could the stereotype of New Yorkers being antisocial be true? Sure long hours and the pressure of city life can get hectic, but isn’t there a moment in the day to stop by and say hello to your neighbor? Clearly, not for everyone.
It appears that a great deal of businesses are introverts and prefer to stick to their office tasks. It is unfortunate that not too many companies place importance on networking, because it is one of the main ways to generate more clients. Even if you may not need the services of those who you are networking with at the moment or be able to offer them yours, the power of building connections is limitless. Many people only focus on short-term results and do not consider the long-term benefits. So come’ on New York, resist the urge to enact the antisocial stereotype and witness the power of networking!

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Russian Speaking Journalists Meet-up 2 Re-cap

2008-07-23T07:58:00.001-07:00

This past meet-up Oleg Sulkin and Michael Gusev held the crowd for four hours (not including break time) and no one wanted to leave till midnight. The crowd got to enjoy the very expensive pirogies and there was plenty to go around.
Sulkin and Gusev were once again the heroes of the meet-up as they kept the guest entertained. Gusev discussed the Congress of Russian Speaking Journalists which was held in Moscow recently. There, Russia’s president, Dmitry Medvedev devoted one whole hour to journalists’ questions. Gusev asked him who Moscow would vote for, Obama or McCain and Medvedev tactfully responded that Russia would work with any president of United States.
In addition, Russia’s ex President Vladimir Putin invited all journalists to the President Hotel, which is actually ironic since he is no longer president.
Moreover, Mikhail Kazakov, Russia’s famous actor who is renowned for reading poetry was invited to Putin’s event to entertain the journalists. At the dinner table, he read Alexander Pushkin’s famous poems about leadership, power and government which stroke a deep cord with the listeners.
Gusev also informed the journalists that next congress will be held in Switzerland. Furthermore, the Journalist Congress, who informed the journalists that he read Russian newspapers that were written in other countries heavily criticized the papers, denouncing 90% of them as not being adequate journalism.
Sulkin had some criticism of his own as he discussed his experience at the Moscow Film Festival. He did not even wish to attend most of the movies as he proclaimed them second rate productions and was very disappointed that an Iranian movie won the completion at the festival.
Sulkin only attended the Russian films, which were not even a part of the competition. One of the movies which he saw, “Chuzhiye”, which portrays negative actions of American doctors who worked in Afghanistan was an outrage to him as he saw the audience’s enthusiastic applause when the atrocities performed by Americans were displayed.
In conclusion, the meet-up held many intriguing conversations, despite the fact that all the attendees jointly had the pleasure of perfuse perspiration. Hence, Sulkin proclaimed the best art gallery to be one where an air conditioner is actually present.
Come join us next time when we will discuss censorship moderated by Victoria Kupchenetskaya of NTV America and relationships with viewers, readers and listeners lead by Yaroslav Beklemishev (hopefully there will be no need to wear protective cups).
To become a member of our meet-up and for updates on our groups please visit www.meetup.com , find New York Russian Speaking Journalists Group and join it to be informed about next meetups.