The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in the state of Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the U.S. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, Utah, as well as the Sundance Resort, the festival is the premier showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers. The festival comprises competitive sections for American and international dramatic and documentary films, and a group of non-competitive showcase sections, including the Sundance Online Film Festival.

Sundance began in Salt Lake City in 1978 as the Utah/US Film Festival in an effort to attract more filmmakers to Utah. Founded by Sterling Van Wagenen and John Earle with Chairperson Robert Redford, the goal of the festival was to showcase what the potential of independent film could be. At the time, the main focus of the event was to present a series of retrospective films and filmmaker panel discussions; however it also included a small program of films made outside the Hollywood system, commonly known as independent films.

The festival has changed over the decades from a low-profile venue for small-budget, independent creators from outside the Hollywood system to a media extravaganza for Hollywood celebrity actors, directors from studios that are subsidiaries of the major studios, paparazzi, and luxury-goods company sponsors giving gifts to the attendees.

Victory Day in Russia, a national holiday this remembers the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II and honors 20 million Soviets who died in the war.

The fighting of World War II in Europe ended on May 2nd, 1945. The surrender of German troops was signed on May 4th and 5th but officially the war ended at midnight on May 8th 1945. To remember this important event, the Russians created a national holiday called Victory Day which is celebrated on May 9th in Russia.

When Nazi Germany attacked Russia or the Soviet Union, as it was known then, the Russian army pushed the Germans all the way back to Berlin which helped to defeat Hitler’s forces.

The main reason for the celebration of Victory Day was to remember the people who died in the war. On that day, flowers are laid on their graves and veterans that are still alive go out on the streets wearing their medals and orders. There are few of them left now days and the number is getting smaller every year.

Russia mainly fought a war to defend itself, which is called a “patriotic war”. That is what most Russians call WWII. In Russia almost all the familiVictory Dayes have at least one person who took part in the war. The other old citizens who did not fight during the war had to work in factories to make guns and preparations, which wasn’t easier than fighting. They too are honored on Victory Day.