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Russian film "Battalion" wins 4 African "Oscars"

Xinhua, March 17, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russian film "Battalion" won Best Film and three other awards at the South African International Film Festival, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported Wednesday.

The Russian movie, directed by Dmitri Meskhiev, also won the awards for Best Film of BRICS, Best Actress and Best Soundtrack at the festival, also known as "RapidLion."

The RapidLion awards, seen as the African counterparts of Oscars, are 8.4 kg platinum-plated lioness statuettes, and go to distinguished filmmakers from Africa and the BRICS countries, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Igor Ugolnikov, the producer of the movie, said Wednesday that these awards are the first awards "Battalion" has won in Africa, so they are very valuable.

"It was a great honor to compete with the filmmakers of the BRICS countries, because we know the importance our colleagues from Brazil, India, China and Africa attach to the development of national cinema," said Ugolnikov.

"Battalion" tells the story of Russia's first women's battalion in First World War. It has won more than 30 Russian and overseas awards, including four Golden Eagle Awards, Russia's national movie awards. Endi