"Happiness of Victory" Award to be Presented at 21st International Film Festival "Pobedili Vmeste"
At the Vladimir Menshov "Pobedili Vmeste" Documentary Film Festival, a cash prize called "Happiness of Victory" will be introduced. The award from the film forum's information partner — the media holding "Aggregator of Happiness" — will be presented starting in 2026. It will be given to authors of films that manage to show:
the power of human hope even in the most difficult circumstances;
moments of joy and light breaking through the darkness of trials;
stories about how people find reasons to smile and believe in the future;
— In the world of documentary cinema, the focus is often on drama and tragedy. But it is precisely a person's ability to preserve light within themselves, find happiness in everyday life, and share it with others that makes us truly alive. — said Valery Ruzin, founder and president of the "Pobedili Vmeste" festival and president of the Eurasian Academy of Television and Radio. — It is important to remember that victory is not only overcoming and triumph over an enemy or circumstances. Victory is the ability to love, to rejoice, and to be happy.
The cash prize will serve as support for new creative projects, allowing talented documentary filmmakers to continue telling stories that inspire millions. Director of the Vladimir Menshov International Film Festival "Pobedili Vmeste" Lina Bogatyr emphasizes:
— The award is intended to support creators who shift the focus from the conventional genre of tragedy to optimism, proving that true victory is the ability to preserve one's humanity.
The "Pobedili Vmeste" festival is the largest documentary film review in Russia with authoritative international participation, organized by the World Peoples Assembly and the Eurasian Academy of Television and Radio. Since 2005, the festival has been held in Sevastopol, Sochi, Moscow, and other Russian cities. Despite sanctions, in 2025 more than 150 films from 50 countries took part in the film review.
The festival's themes are constantly expanding and absorbing contemporary realities. Special emphasis is placed on work with youth and the educational component. Within the framework of the festival, a year-round Film Marathon, a "documentary media school," specialized master classes, and other events are organized.
Submissions for the XXI International Film Festival "Pobedili Vmeste" named after Vladimir Menshov are open until July 30 on the festival's official website.
More information is available on the official website of the World Peoples Assembly and at media@world-assembly.org.