On October 7, U.S. Consulate General Vladivostok supported a spectacular international movie and photo exhibit entitled, “Freeze Frame! Look How Beautiful it is!” demonstrating “ the beauty, spirit, and similarities” between Vladivostok and San Francisco. The Consulate partnered with Vladivostok State University of Economics and Services (VSUES) and the local video studio “Seven” to organize a photo exhibit of photographers from Vladivostok and San Francisco portraying the wonders and people on both sides of the Pacific. Upon PAS request, two professionals from the Bay Area – Colin Johnson and Eisuke Muroga – presented a dozen of their works, which were located besides their Russian colleagues’ photos. The connecting element was a big TV screen showing a trailer for a fictional movie by local filmmaker Vladimir Sidenko in which a family crossing the Zolotoy Bridge in Vladivostok suddenly finds themselves driving on … the Golden Bay Bridge in San Francisco! Speakers at the opening ceremony, including Vladivostok CG Michael Keays, as well as media reports, referred to this week-long event as a project that stresses the goodwill and positive “human factor” of Russian-American relations.
