What challenges could face a foreign filmmaker if he decides to shoot a sitcom in Russia? Exporting Raymond has all the answers, with a twist of humor. ­Phil Rosenthal grew up glued to TV, but could hardly imagine he would have his own hit show, Everybody Loves Raymond. When the prolific American writer was asked if he was interested in making a Russian version of his hit sitcom, Rosenthal headed straight to Moscow. Surprised to hear that his driver was once a bodyguard for Condoleezza Rice, right upon arrival at the landmark Gorky Film Studio the TV-personality instantly appeared to be in conflict with just about everybody, from the costume designer to the head writer - everyone seemed to have a problem with Raymond! Russians do not share his taste nor his sense of humor. Exporting Raymond is Rosenthal`s ironic account of an array of cultural misunderstandings in the world of television production, based on true experience. The US-Russian documentary will be screened at the 58th Sydney Film Festival underway in Australia, along with two other Russian films. ­A Russian drama about life and death, Silent Souls, has already picked up a number of awards at film festivals around the world, including accolades from the jury of the Venice film festival where the film`s cameraman was awarded the prestigious Ozella prize for Best Cinematography. Beautifully shot Silent Souls is a sad story of a middle-aged man who just lost his beloved wife and wants to bury her somewhere where they spent their honeymoon. However, Miron does not make his journey alone; he is accompanied by a photographer, to whom he confides how his family life was cut short. ­The other Russian film on the festival`s program is Target from Aleksandr Zeldovich. Set in 2020 Russia, it has been described as a "rampant odyssey, bold and compelling meditation on sex, communication and contemporary power." Target sees the Russian economy booming thanks to its vast mineral deposits and the busy Guangzhou-Paris superhighway, while the political order is dubbed as "ecological democracy". Social structures are rigorously maintained by a special system that ensures all citizens are correctly positioned in the hierarchy. The futuristic film revolves around Victor, the minister for natural resources, his wife Zoya, her TV-celebrity brother Mitya and Nikolay, a colonel assigned to commandeer the superhighway, who are all members of the elite class with everything but happiness and time at their disposal. Together they travel to the Altai Mountains to an abandoned astrophysics plant, the Target, in order to expose themselves to cosmic rays which prolong life and rejuvenate the mind. The Australian festival, which runs through June 19, will screen over 160 films from 42 countries.