‘Soul of Russia. The Arctic’ project started as part of International Arctic Forum

The ‘Soul of Russia. The Arctic’ project was launched within the framework of the ‘Arctic: Territory of Dialogue’ International Arctic Forum, which will be held on 26–27 March in Murmansk. The project is organized by the Innosocium Foundation, a social platform of the Roscongress Foundation. On 17 March, Murmansk Regional Museum of Local Lore held a ceremony of handing over the sculpture of a humpback Teriberka whale – one of the symbols that represented Russia at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan and at the exhibition ‘BRICS National Brands’, which was held as part of SPIEF 2024.

“The Arctic is a unique region of strategic importance. Sustainable development of the Arctic and Far North regions is a priority for Russia. The Forum will become a platform for uniting efforts for the integrated development of the Polar region. An important role in the development of the region’s human capital and the support and preservation of the culture of Arctic indigenous peoples is played by the events of the ‘Soul of Russia. The Arctic’ project, which aim to promote the cultural and historical values, traditions and creative heritage of the peoples of the North, serve as a universal platform for dialogue between participants of the creative community, support creative industries – an effectively developing and promising area of the region’s economy,” said Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation and Executive Secretary of the International Arctic Forum 2025 Organizing Committee.

The main events of the ‘Soul of Russia. The Arctic’ project, which will be held on 25–30 March, were announced. In particular, the programme includes screenings of the documentaries The Great Northern Way and To the Arctic, as well as feature films Philately, On Exhalation, and others.

“The film programme of the International Arctic Forum 2025 will help strengthen national identity, promote cultural values and unite generations around important historical dates and national symbols. Thanks to its free format, this programme will be available to all residents of Murmansk Region and guests of the Forum. These are not just films or cartoons – they are a kind of part of the cultural mission of the largest Arctic event,” noted Andrei Chibis, Governor of Murmansk Region.

In cooperation with Roskino and Soyuzmultfilm, cinemas, cultural institutions and art spaces in Murmansk Region will present films and animated works dedicated to the culture, traditions and history of the peoples of Russia. Children will be able to see ‘The Best Soyuzmultfilm Series’ and ‘Warm Animation by Soyuzmultfilm’.

“The regions of the Russian Far North have a rich culture, traditions, and a distinctive and unique nature, which can be the basis for many creative industries projects. Our film studio’s collection includes many classic films dedicated to the North, as well as the modern animated series ‘Umka’, which was included in the programme of Soyuzmultfilm screenings within the Forum. The animation programmes collected by our specialists represent the whole palette of Soyuzmultfilm’s rich collection, which includes projects in different styles, techniques and genres,” shared Yuliana Slashcheva, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Soyuzmultfilm Film Studio.