Univerciné à l'Est

Univerciné à l'Est: A Window onto Eastern European Cinemas

Since 1997, the cinema of Eastern European and Caucasian countries has had an annual event in Nantes thanks to the Univerciné cycle. Initially dedicated exclusively to Russian cinema under the name Univerciné Russe, the festival was renamed Univerciné à l'Est in 2023 to embrace all cinematographies from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Baltic States. This name change, which occurred after the cancellation of the 2022 edition, reflects the desire to open the program to a diversity of cinematic voices from Lithuania, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and many other countries.

A Festival Integrated into the Univerciné Cycle

Univerciné à l'Est is part of the Univerciné cycle, a unique cinematic season in France that brings together four festivals dedicated to European cinematographies: Univerciné Allemand (November), Univerciné W.I.S.E. (December, Welsh, Irish, Scottish, and English cinemas), Univerciné à l'Est (February), and Univerciné Italien (March). This cycle was created in 2007 from the collaboration between the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Cultures of the University of Nantes and the Katorza cinema, with the mission of promoting European cinematic heritage by distributing works excluded from traditional commercial circuits and presented in their original version with subtitles.

A Demanding Program Focused on Discovery

Each year, the festival presents about twenty films—feature fiction films, documentaries, and short films—often unseen in France. Four to five films are selected for the official competition, generally first or second feature films, judged by a student jury from the University of Nantes, trained in film criticism throughout the academic year.

The program highlights the richness and diversity of the region's cinematic cultures: Armenian, Georgian, Kazakh, Ukrainian, Baltic, and Central Asian films, some in Russian. Screenings are accompanied by meetings with directors, masterclasses, and debates that allow the audience to deepen their understanding of the aesthetic, cultural, and political issues specific to these cinematographies.

A University and Cultural Commitment

The festival's university roots are evident in the Tarif Super Offert (Super Free Ticket) scheme, which allows students from Nantes Université and partner schools to attend all screenings for free. This initiative reflects the educational mission of the Univerciné cycle: to train young audiences, encourage cultural openness, and promote the discovery of cinematographies unknown to the general public.