Iskusstvo Kino

What it is

Iskusstvo Kino ("The Art of Cinema") is a Russian film magazine, and its channel description lists everything it has grown into: magazine, website, cinematheque, shop and community. On Telegram it's a daily feed about films that don't necessarily play at every multiplex. Everything is in Russian. Recent posts covered the San Sebastián festival, where the top prize went to Mike Leigh; a report from the Flahertiana documentary festival in Perm; excerpts from essays on Robert Bresson and Miklós Jancsó; and a new trailer from Robert Eggers.

Why we picked it

Most film channels live on trailers and casting gossip. This one works at a different level: essays that make you rethink a classic, plus plenty of reasons to leave the house. There are special screenings, short film programmes, the TsIKL festival, a workshop on shooting 16mm film, lectures on sound in amateur and experimental cinema, and a film festival about mental health. The channel also remembers the people behind the films, marking the birthdays of director Yuri Butusov and actor Michael Madsen with a text worth rereading.

Where to start

• Find the post on Bresson's diary form; it's a good entry into the magazine's writing.
• Read the festival posts on San Sebastián and Flahertiana.
• If you're in Moscow or St Petersburg, bookmark the screening and lecture announcements.
• Cinephiles should look for the excerpt on Jancsó's "The Round-Up".

Who it's for

Russian-speaking fans of art-house and festival cinema who want more than blockbusters. Film students and anyone who writes about film. And big-city residents looking for screenings and events with a live audience.

Quick answers

Is it only about Russian cinema? No, it covers international festivals and classics as well as Russian premieres.

Does it publish reviews? Yes, it shares excerpts from the magazine's texts about films and directors.

What language is it in? Russian.