“Then Forgotten Miracle”, an animation released to the 600th anniversary of the acquisition of St. Sergius’s of Radonezh relics
July 16 the premiere screening of an animation "The Forgotten Miracle" released by Russian film production studios to the 600th anniversary of finding St. Sergius’s of Radonezh relics, which is an important event in the history of the Holy Trinity –St. Sergius Lavra and the Russian Orthodox Church.
The animation became a result of a joint project of an animation studio “Parovoz”, the Moscow Theological Academy, the Holy Trinity – St. Sergius Lavra and a state corporation “Rosteh”.
According to the plot, classmates Dima, Nastya and Gosha left behind a tour group in the Holy Trinity – St. Sergius Lavra and set off to explore it on their own way searching for treasure. In one of the monastery towers they accidentally discover a magical portal to the past. On their way home, children have to go through the "magic forest" of the XIV century at the time of the Mongol yoke. St. Sergius of Radonezh, a saint and a miracle worker, will help them. Many difficulties teach the classmates the value of friendship, reconsider their attitude to greed, pride and cowardice and ask for each other's help. Advisers from the Moscow Theological Academy and the Holy Trinity – St. Sergius Lavra helped to find the right intonation and touch the delicate strings of a child's soul. It was important to get right words, images and an expressive artistic language to convey the importance of such universal values as compassion, sincerity, courage, readiness to help and support in need.
Priest Anatoly Kolot, a film editor and Deputy rector of the Moscow Theological Academy:
St. Sergius is one of the most beloved saints of the Russian Orthodox Church. We want to introduce him to those who do not belong to the church audience or are not Orthodox Christians at all. Our cartoon amazingly combines secular modern audiovisual style with authentic church materials, so it captures from the very beginning! Probably, this can be recognized as a successful result of cooperation between the professional animators of the “Parovoz” studio, the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, the Moscow Theological Academy and ... children. To be honest, for four years my main focus group have been my own six children, who were ready to watch everything starting from the animatic to the final cut. Even though we have watched the entire cartoon hundreds of times together, they are now looking forward to the premiere screening.
The animation is recommended for a family viewing, age category 6+. To create an atmosphere of past centuries, the authors took their inspiration in the aesthetics of Russian painting.
The MThA Press Office/Bogoslov.ru