The winners of the prize “Star Ticket 2016” were named on the opening of the “Aksenov-fest” in Kazan

(KZN.RU, September 2, Alsu Safina). New winners of an international literary prize “Star Ticket” were named today in the Kazan Drama Theatre named after Katchalov. They were Evgeniya Dekina from Moscow (prose) and Roman Rubanov from Kursk region (poetry). Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, congratulated the winners on the victory and said that the award offers outstanding names in the world of literature.

The award, aimed at identifying and promoting young talents in the field of literature and art, was part of the opening ceremony of the X Anniversary musical and literary festival “Aksenov-fest”, dedicated to the memory of Vasily Aksyonov, the famous native of the capital of Tatarstan and Russian writer. Awards was given to the winners of the contest by a writer Evgeny Popov and Irina Barmetova, a literary critic, chief editor of the “October” magazine and festival coordinator.

Evgeniya Dekina received the award for her novel “Golden root”. “It is about life in a small Siberian town, mostly about my Tatar grandparents who raised me. Thanks to them I am what I am. They’ve been a special phenomenon with their light, their Tatar ease, attitude to life, hospitality in severe Siberian reality”, said the winner, which was born in the Kemerovo region and now lives in Moscow.

“I'm happy. It is a great joy, an indescribable feeling, when your long work behind a desk is appreciated”, admitted Evgeniya Dekina, for which the “Star Ticket” was the first literary prize. She also said that she worked as a writer on television for 8 years, and before that – as a journalist. Now Evgeniya Dekina is not only writing, but also teaching theatrical skills in the school for 9 years.

Roman Rubanov, the winner of the “Star Ticket” prize in the nomination “Poetry”, also linked his life with the theater arts: he is the chief director of the concert-creative center “Star’ and actor of the Kursk Youth Theatre. “As a child I dreamed to paint and study at the art school. Then I began to write poems and stories, and wanted to become a writer. Then I decided to become an artist. When I started to serve in the theater, I realized that I was more a poet than a director, an actor, or an artist”, said the winner. “When I tired of the theater work, I postpone it and start drawing, and then back to work with renewed vigor. It is a change of scenery. But poetry is always with me. Anyway, I always work with a word”.

 “What are my poems about? I always cite Vladimir Mayakovsky: “About time and myself”. So, perhaps, about life”, said the poet Roman Rubanov. He is the recipient of award named after Rimma Kazakova and the “Writer of the XXI century”.

Presentation of the “Star Ticket” prize has played a significant role in the artistic careers of previous years’ laureates. Such names as Denis Osokin, Anna Rus, Bulat Ibrahim, Guzel Yakhina are among them. "Vasily Pavlovich wanted the “Star Ticket” to give a ticket to life”, said Ilsur Metshin.

The Mayor of Kazan reminded how the idea of ​​the festival, which was held for the first time in the year of the 75th anniversary of the writer, was born during a meeting with the musician Andrei Makarevich and poet Mihail Gendelev. Ilsur Metshin told the audience how along with Vasily Aksenov they visited the house where the writer spent his childhood and which he was not visiting for 70 years. Subsequently, the building was reconstructed, and there was opened the house-museum of Aksenov. According to the head of the city, the writer wanted the museum would not be boring and there would be young writers and jazz always sound.

“I am speaking not as the Mayor, but as a happy person who had the good fortune to meet and to talk with Vasily Aksenov. This is a man with amazing soul, a huge heart and a difficult fate. I am glad that we keep his memory and that could create “Aksenov-fest”, said the Mayor of Kazan and thanked all those involved in its organization and conduction.

An excerpt from the play “How polyphonic night or enfant terrible and his parents” was shown at the opening ceremony of the festival. Characters of the writer and his mother were presented on stage to the audience. The play is based on the letters of Vasily Aksenov to Evgeniya Ginzburg and of Pavel Aksenov to his son. The letters were found in American archives after his death. The performance was shown at the festival in 2012.

Unique performances, plays, made by professional directors, actors and musicians special for the festival, have become an integral part of the “Aksenov-fest”. Four of these performances were delivered for 10 years.

A little later, viewers saw a fragment from another play “Simpleton in the world of jazz”. Both plays staged by director Julia Ahmetzyanova. Jazz sounded, the scene was decorated with pictures of the writer in different years, and festival guests shared their memories of Vasily Aksenov in the evening. Alexander Kabakov, a member of the board of trustees, twice winner of the “Big Book” prize, winner of the Government of the RF in the field of culture, drew attention to the fact that the novel “Lendzilovskie”, published after his death, translated into the Tatar language. “This is an unprecedented phenomenon that a contemporary writer translated into “internal Russian” language”, said Alexander Kabakov. This novel came into the collection of the works of Vasily Aksenov, translated into the Tatar language. The book will present as part of this year's festival.

Sergei Soloviev, the film director, screenwriter and People's Artist of the Russian Federation, spoke about how they worked together with Vasily Aksenov. “I am at this festival for the first time. I was struck by the sense of taste, dignity and good tone. I realized that it reminds me of Vasily Aksenov”, the director said.

Showing a series of films, based on the last completed novel of the writer “The mysterious passion”, was held after the ceremony.

The “Aksyonov Fest” is the annual music and literary festival, which takes place in Kazan since 2007. The award “Star Ticket” was established within the framework of the festival “Aksenov-fest” at the initiative of Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan. A talented author from any corner of the world can get a reward. The jury focused not so much on the already started works of the young author, but rather on its potential ability to further develop the bright talent in the selection of winners.