It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurking in the dark…Moscow is set to turn into the headquarters of mystery as an international festival of detective films kick starts in the Russian capital next week.
It is a rare chance to watch a variety of thrillers from across the world, from Iran to Thailand.
DetectiveFEST brings together productions with a whodunit plot, featuring a modern spin on “crime and punishment” stories.
You never know what to expect from a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat. A classic investigation can turn into a thriller, full of unsolved mysteries, or a comedy with a laugh-a-minute plot.
The festival, running from April 25-27, will open with the Russian premiere of Safe, a US action adventure starring Jason Statham. However, Hollywood blockbusters will not be the focus of DetectiveFEST.
Among the highlights of the Russian festival is The Heir from Italy; the Turkish I Buried You in My Heart and Thailand’s Mindfulness and Murder.
Mindfulness and Murder directed by Tom Waller
Apart from thrillers, the festival will also play documentary films, including two Russian features that have never been screened before. One of them investigates space and UFOs, and the other, Fighting for Salyut, is a story of the Soviet Salyut space station which America allegedly wanted to get hold of when it went broke down.
In fact, the festival’s motto goes hand in hand with the global trend proclaiming that “The fight against crime and terrorism is an international responsibility.”
Since 1999, among the challenges set for the DetectiveFEST, has been to “contribute to the formation of an open civil society” aware of the key threats, such as violence, crime and terrorism, and to be able to fight them.