MUMBAI: A week-long Russian Film Festival Memory of the Great War, dedicated to the 64th anniversary of the Victory over Fascism in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), and jointly organized by the Russian Centre of Science and Culture (RCSC) and Film Trust India, was inaugurated by film-maker Muzaffar Ali.

Starting with the inaugural film Ballad of a Soldier (1959-Directed by G. Chuhrai), the other films to be screened on the succeeding days are Destiny of a Man (1959-Directed by S. Bondarchuk), They Fought for Their Motherland (1975-directed by S. Bondarchuk), Torpedo Bombers (1983-Directed by S. Aranovich) and The Star (2002-Directed by N. Lebedev).

Welcoming the gathering, RCSC deputy director Maria B. Pavlova, said that the victory over fascism in the Great Patriotic War was a significant historical and political turning point changing the destiny of several countries across the world.

In this context, she pointed out that the evil of fascism, which was defeated in the war more than six decades ago has today resurfaced in the form of terrorism, which has no boundaries. Russia and India share a common resolve to fight the menace of international terrorism, she said.

Film Trust India president Anwar Jamal thanked the RCSC for its gesture in bringing forth classics by celebrated Russian film-makers in the best interest of Indian viewers. He added it was appropriate for this particular genre of films being screened to mark the great victory over fascism.