Garri Bardin launches fundraiser for film on resilience of Jewish life

Animator Garri Bardin, winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, has announced a fundraising campaign for his latest animated film, "A Cry for All Seasons."

Describing it as "a film about Jews, their challenging fate, and how they persevere despite widespread animosity," Bardin expressed his commitment to the project as a matter of civic duty.

The target fundraising amount, set on a specialized crowdfunding platform, is 3 million rubles.

"My stance is encapsulated in a simple phrase," the director writes. "Thou shalt not kill!"

In recent years, Bardin has relied on financial support from his audience to bring his projects to life.

In 2013, crowdfunding made the release of "Three Melodies" possible, followed by the presentation of "Listening to Beethoven" at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016. The latter had a budget of 6 million rubles, entirely raised by viewers.

In 2018, Bardin showcased "Bolero 2017," a clay animation exploring themes of freedom and constraint set to Maurice Ravel's music. His work earned recognition as the Best Animated Film at the London Rocks Film Festival.

Continuing his crowdfunding approach, Bardeen released "The Sandbox" in 2019 and "Ave Maria" in 2023. The latter, a fantasy inspired by Raphael's painting "The Sistine Madonna," was also partially funded through crowdfunding efforts.