Batka Minay Wins Listapad Gold Grand Prix
The Russian-directed partisan drama took the top feature prize at the Listapad Film Festival in Belarus.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Awards
The Listapad Film Festival awarded its Gold Grand Prix for Best Feature Film to Batka Minay: The Partisan Legend, directed by Igor Ugolnikov. The film also received a special prize from the CIS Executive Committee, Cinema Without Borders.
Why it matters
The award places a regional partisan-era drama in the spotlight for audiences across the former Soviet sphere and beyond. The CIS special prize signals institutional recognition of the film's cultural and historical themes.
The film is scheduled for theatrical release in the final days of February 2027, with its official premiere planned in Belarus. The opening-ceremony closing credits drew applause lasting 20 minutes, according to the festival account.
The players
Igor Ugolnikov
Russian director and People's Artist of Russia who directed Batka Minay: The Partisan Legend.
Listapad Film Festival
Belarusian film festival that awarded the Listapad Gold Grand Prix for Best Feature Film.
CIS Executive Committee, Cinema Without Borders
Body of the Commonwealth of Independent States that presented a special prize for cultural co-operation and historical memory.
The details
Batka Minay: The Partisan Legend follows the life and activities of the partisan Minay Shmyrev. The CIS Executive Committee special prize recognizes promotion of cultural co-operation, friendship among countries, and preservation of historical memory.
Timeline
Listapad Film Festival awards announced: November 2026
Theatrical release scheduled: final days of February 2027
Festival Circuit
Regional awards such as the Listapad prizes help position post-Soviet productions for wider international festival attention. The CIS special prize adds an institutional layer that rewards films dealing with shared historical memory.
Viewers will be able to see the film in theaters once the scheduled February 2027 release arrives. The official premiere in Belarus is the first planned public screening.
The takeaway
Regional festivals like Listapad can surface films that cross cultural and historical lines. Following festival winners is a practical way to find new international cinema before wider release.
What happens next
The film is scheduled for theatrical release in the final days of February 2027, with its official premiere planned in Belarus.
Further reading
For more winners and festival coverage, explore our Awards section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Беларусь Сегодня.
