In an interview with Russia Today the President of the Moscow Film Festival, controversial Russian film director Nikita Mikhalkov, spoke about its goals and prospects.

Russia Today: How significant is the International Moscow Film Festival for the world cinema and Russian film industry in particular? 

Nikita Mikhalkov: Moscow is one of the top 5 festivals. It has its own unique role. It shouldn't copy the Cannes or Venice or Berlin festivals, just like German cuisine shouldn't copy French or Japanese. The festival is about art – but there are business issues to be settled as well. Whatever your attitude, it has a potential audience of 100 million, which is huge in terms of business. As president, I want to get the industry moving. We had only 32 cinema halls when I produced the Barber of Siberia eight years ago and now there are more than 1,500. So I can say the festival is doing its job, it's a great opportunity for producers and distributors. They use the festival as a springboard to bring their movies to Russia.

RT: What makes this festival different to the ones in Berlin, Cannes, Venice?

N.M.: Each festival has its own face. Moscow Film Festival is Moscow – big, hospitable, welcoming guests from around the world. In time, we'll be able to bring more directors here and organise more programmes. This festival is a stage where Western viewers can learn more about movies from East and Eastern Europe in particular. In this way, it's a bridge between the West and East, between the Western and Eastern European movies.

RT: What sorts of criteria will you be looking for in the films presented at the festival?

N.M.: We are looking for any movies which are profound. This is a country of immense literary traditions. It's a search for inner harmony and for harmonious relations with the world. For us, spiritual energy has more sway than the outer showiness of a blockbuster. Although I have huge respect for movies, which are impressive both visually and conceptually, like Gladiator. The movie budget is not important for us. Today the festival was opened by an inexpensive film directed by Kusturica. But it is art and you cannot measure art with money.