Elena Tsyganenko recognized as the “Best TV reporter” in interregional contest

By a decision of the jury of the 19^th International television festival of documentary film “Babye leto v Uvate” (Indian summer in Uvat), headed by Maria Sittel, a  correspondent of GTRK “Tyva”, Elena Tsyganenko, received the award of “Best television reporter”. More than 700 works were presented at the festival. But Elena’s documentary about one of the “Treasures of Tuva” – the Moren cave – was without peers. “I am very grateful to the project “Nine treasures” for this opportunity to visit some of the most remote corners of my native Tuva”, - Elena Tsyganenko informed us from Tyumen region, where the festival took place.

55 TV companies from the entire country as well as from nearby foreign countries participated in the contest – from Astrakhan, Vladikavkaz, Krasnodar, Sankt-Peterburg, Khakassia, Tuva, Kabardino-Balkharia…For the first time, TV companies from Belorussia and Finland participated in the festival. For many of them, it took several days to get to Uvat, but this fact had no detrimental effect on their enthusiasm.

This year, there was a surprise for the guests – the opening of the festival was held in really remote taiga, in a small village Tugalovo. Just during the days of the festival, the village celebrated 300 years since its founding.

As a matter of fact, this is the third time that TV and radio company “Region-Tyumen” and the contestants of the “Babye leto” festival are meeting in Uvat land.

In Tuva, 2010 was declared the Year of Tourism.  A special project “Nine Treasures” is now taking place there, aimed at discovering noteworthy attractions, which will then be subjected to national voting.  The results of the voting will determine the chief tourist “treasures” of Tuva. During this summer, journalists participated in press-tours to the objects that were entered into the contest. Their publications, TV documentaries and radio materials will be presented in a contest as part of the “Nine Treasures “(Tos Ertine) project.

The Moren cave, the subject of Elena‘s documentary, is the only one of this kind. It is located in the Erzin kozhuuns on the south slope of Mt.Khaiyrakan.  The cave consists of five grottoes of total length of 81 meters. There is quite enough light in the first grotto. Its floor is covered with scattered stones, and the walls are criss-crossed with fissures. The second, 10 meter grotto is darker. From the second grotto to the third one, the way is through a narrow, 9 meter, long, slightly sloping passage with several tThe third grotto is smallish and round. Gradually widening, it grades into the largest and most interesting fourth grotto. The thermometer shows only 5 degrees centigrade above freezing point, despite sweltering July heat outside. Lit only by weak lights of pocket flashlights, outlines of “icicles” of the stalagtites and stalagmites come out of the shadow, wondrous rows of pillars, and a huge bell with arched sides. The stalagmites on one of the walls, running down, interweaving together, produce the appearance of a human head and torso. In the fifth, smallest and most remote grotto, dozens of stalagtites of 3 to 10 cm hang down right over one’s head.