«I don’t need a prize like the Pulitzer.» Oliver Stone, the Oscar-winning director severely criticized the prize, saying that it’s «manipulated and unfair, and can be awarded only to a representative of corporate media with a pro-Washington stance».
He said this during a meeting with visitors of a book fair for non-fiction intellectual literature, where he presented his book – The Putin Interviews. The book contains 3 times more material than the 4-hour TV-version of talks with the President of Russia, for which he was accused of pro-Kremlin propaganda in the USA.
Today, fans have been wondering what was left off-screen. Zinaida Kurbatova reporting on the impressions of the director and the most curious issues of the fair which has recently opened in CHA, Moscow.
There are no vacant seats in the conference hall of the CHA. Doors are open, people are crowding outside. Everyone wants to ask a question to the famous director Oliver Stone, and they want their book The Putin Interviews signed by the author. The audience also asks about his movies and how he was wounded in Vietnam, but mostly he’s asked about his vision of the President and whether he managed to ask everything he wanted.
Oliver Stone, director: «You take everything the President says about Ukraine for granted, while it’s not like that in the West, no one even wants to listen, saying that it’s just propaganda».
Oliver Stone noted that he doesn’t speak Russian, but that he had had 12 meetings with Putin and managed to get a complete impression.
Oliver Stone: «I don’t speak Russian, so I judged by his body language. Putin is a very reserved and patient person, and he is a good speaker too. What’s more, he seemed down-to-earth to me. However, when I took these interviews, there would be moments, when he’d begin to react in a bit of a different manner».
Thousands of bibliophiles in search of freshly-printed books. 293 publishers from 25 countries, scientific journals, monographs, antiques, all of them take three floors. Small publishing houses occupy the spot at the entrance. Institutes and museums also take part in the fair. The Hermitage has issued the fourth edition of the memoirs of Nikolai Nikulin, the war veteran and the Dutch art expert.
Nina Petrova, the Hermitage: «It contains the scary truth of the war. Everyone should read this».
Here are the monsters of the publishing trade. Some of them date back to the USSR. At the 21st. Century Art Exhibit, there are luxurious albums and books by famous art experts, like the story of Van Gogh by Elena Murina or Picasso by Mikhail German, a study, Russian Cosmism, and Daedalus by Milana Aldarova, an oratorio for a sophisticated reader.
Tatyana Bodnaruk, director of 21 Century Art Publishing: «This was a very serious poet, moreover, she was an exceptional woman, a very beautiful woman. And the fact that the book is printed in this format, everyone who sees it, nearly lose their minds, this is how good it is. I mean, the print quality and the design of this book».
Signing-reading sessions are another popular type of activities here. Memoirs are always popular. Illustrators take part too.
Alexander Voytsekhovsky, artist: «For 10-12 years, I worked as a paramedic, on an ambulance, but then all of a sudden became an illustrator».
Dozens of exhibitors specializing in Russian history. Many books are devoted to the anniversary of the Revolution, including the latest researches, new editions, and biographies. Laurus, a publishing house from Kiev issues bilingual books mostly in both Russian and Ukrainian.
Polina Lavrova, director of Laurus: «Nowadays, the situation with the Russian language in Ukraine is tense which makes these books even more popular. Anyway, up to 30-40% of Ukrainian citizens consider Russian their mother tongue».
The Secrets of the Brain is a joint issue of AST Publishing and Nauka TV Channel. It’s based on the popular TV-show hosted by Alexander Kaplan.
Alexander Kaplan, psychophysiologist: «More than 30 famous scholars and practitioners took part in the project. They are famous in Russia and abroad. We cover many aspects of brain science, like memory, consciousness, and many conditions which we deal with daily like dreams and awakening».
This year, the award ceremony is dedicated to the anniversary of the Revolution. For all three days, antique books and old vinyl records are being sold. Here, the prize winners will be announced by the French Embassy. Readers can use special electronic devices for the search of a book.
Those, who bought more books than they can carry, can use a special delivery service for the precious cargo.
Zinaida Kurbatova, Lev Sergeyev Jr., Vesti.