The Silk Road of Marco Polo receives special prize at film festival in Milan
On March 23, Spazio Oberdan offered the visitors of the festival to watch Kazakhstan-produced popular-science film “The Silk Road of Marco Polo”.
The film received a special award of the festival, according to Kazakh Scientific-Research Institute of Culture of the Ministry of Culture and Sport.
Those attending the event were First Secretary of the Kazakhstan Embassy in Italy Almasbek Zhumadilov, Director General of the Kazakh Scientific-Research Institute of Culture Andrey Khazbulatov, professor of Columbia University Rafis Abazov, Academic Secretary of Asia Studies Class of Ambrosiana Academy, professor Edoardo Canetta, MondoMostre International Projects Chief Maria Azzurra La Rosa, Chairperson of the International Commission for Culture of Milan Paolo Bossi, representatives of the Mayor’s Office of Milan, European Institute of Design, Confederation of Italian Manufacture Industry, producers, film critics and residents of Milan.
Before the demonstration of the film, Director General of the Kazakh Scientific-Research Institute of Culture Andrey Khazbulatov addressed the attendees on behalf of Minister of Culture and Sport of Kazakhstan Arystanbek Mukhamediuly. “The Festival of African, Asian and Latin American Cinema is an indeed large-scale cultural event for international film industry. The festival has become an inextricable component of development for modern society and a wonderful platform for creative exchanges, where everyone receives a unique chance to show the culture of his/her country. Kazakhstan is participating in the event for the first time with a popular-science film “The Silk Road of Marco Polo”. The film narrates about life of famous Italian traveler Marco Polo who described the history of his trips across Asia in his book “On the World' Diversity”. I hope that participation in this festival will become a good tradition for our country,” said Andrey Khazbulatov.
According to him, the film was produced by the Kazakh Scientific-Research Institute of Culture as per the order from the Ministry of Culture and Sport. In 2016. The filming took place in Italy, Kazakhstan and China. Kazakhstani and international scholars, historians and experts specializing in Marco Polo’s biography and medieval Oriental studies, geography and ethnology were invited to contribute to the process. The film is expected to be distributed in China, Europe and the U.S this year. 