"We relied on our own tastes when choosing the guests," said Aliona Muchinskaya, the director of Red Square PR company, which is organizing the event. "We wanted to present culture in its widest aspect possible.”
The festival program — designed to bring the two countries closer together in a time of political tensions — is diverse, ranging from classical music to club music to film and modern art. British designers Henry Holland and Steven Jones will also fly in for the festival as will one of Britain’s most interesting young artists Gavin Turk. British GQ magazine editor Dylan Jones will present his new book.
Frears' film "The Queen" will be shown on Saturday, and he will take part in a discussion on the art of film adaptation and the role of women in film alongside other British and Russian filmmakers on Sunday.
The music part of the festival will feature a piano recital by composer Nyman, known for his award-winning movie soundtracks.
DJ William Orbit will headline the party at club Most on Friday.
“May 1st will indeed see a bridge between Russian and British music cultures!!" wrote Orbit on his Twitter blog.
Organizers said they hope to continue bringing over British cultural figures after the festival.
"We think that ‘cultural diplomacy’ is very efficient," said Muchinskaya.
The AngloMoskva festival runs May 1 to May 3. See www.redsquarepr.com for a full list of events.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.