“Kelin”, a Kazakhstani film about a loveless marriage in pre-Islamic times, won the feature-film grand prize at the May 5-11 Monaco Charity Film Festival.

Directed by Yermek Tursunov, the film has competed at numerous international festivals. Some conservative domestic critics denounced the film as amoral.

The Monaco Charity Film Festival is a yearly Charity Event held in Monaco for the benefit of the poor children around the world. For 2009, the Charity Event will be for the benefit of the children of the Virlanie Foundation in the Philippines.

The Festival also helps new and developing film makers to find financing and distribution for their films. The Festival screens about 4 films per day – for one week – in Monaco. The selected jury will then choose the best film, best director, best scriptwriter and the best actors.

On the final day of the Festival, a big Gala Dinner and a spectacle show is organized to raise money to give to Charity.

The Directors of the Monaco Charity Film Festival make sure that very important people are invited each year to our Charity Event and Film Screenings.