National Media Group announces the start of accepting applications for its new media education program "NMG Debut". The purpose of the program is to provide talented authors with the opportunity to test their creative ambitions in practice using the resources of NMG's assets and partner companies.

Students of screenwriting, directing and production faculties of Russian creative universities and film schools - both public and private - as well as graduates of these faculties (not earlier than 2020) are invited to participate in the program.

Up to 10 participants, selected by the program's organizing committee, will be paired with mentors from among NMG's directors, screenwriters and producers for a three-month period, during which participants and mentors will work together on a project (or projects) in the format of an individual creative workshop: each participant will have a mentor, and each mentor will have a participant. The interaction format is face-to-face.

At the end of the program, the organizing committee will decide on the fate of the participant and/or the project. Students who successfully complete the program will have the opportunity to become employees of one of the National Media Group's assets, and the authors of the most interesting projects will be able to implement them on one of NMG's platforms. The most talented contestants may be offered a first-look deal. The program participants will be paid a monthly remuneration of 25,000 rubles for three months.

The collection of applications for participation in the first cycle of the program will last until February 28. A list of required application materials is available on the official website of the program - debut.nmg.ru.

Program mentors include:

— Fyodor Bondarchuk, director and producer (Stalingrad, Invasion, Psycho);

— Zhora Kryzhovnikov, director, screenwriter and producer (Kiss Them All!, Call DiCaprio!);

— Alexander Akopov, producer (Brigade, Not Born Beautiful, Elizabeth);

— Anton Fedotov, director and producer (Kitchen, Rodkom);

— Dmitriy Tabarchuk, producer (Lanky Girls, Aunt Marta, The Junior Team);

— Pavel Danilov, screenwriter (Kitchen in Paris, the trilogy The Last Knight);

— Igor Tudvasev, screenwriter and producer (trilogy The Last Knight, Grand);

and other screenwriters, directors and producers.

CEO of NMG Svetlana Balanova said: "Everyone in the media market knows that a talented screenwriter, director and producer today is worth his weight in gold. We want to give young and talented professionals a chance to refine their project together with the masters of our industry. I am sure that thanks to this program new bright names will appear, along with fresh and interesting projects that the audience will love".