VivaCell-MTS once again undertakes the general sponsorship of the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival July 8th, 2012, Yerevan, Armenia VivaCell-MTS, a subsidiary of Mobile TeleSystems OJSC, announces the kick off of the Golden Apricot International Film Festival, which has recently been ranked among the top ten film festivals of the world. The festival is organized with support of the Ministry of Culture of Armenia. A fresh look, a new look, a short cinema study course and an enjoyable way of spending time… The Golden Apricot presents the cinema loving public with much novelty. This is the ninth year we are given the opportunity to enjoy the geographic and the cultural diversity presented at the festival. Symbolically, the opening of the festival will be marked by Hamo Beknazaryan’s comedy Shor and Shorshor, based on the literary piece and accompanied by a soundtrack specially written for the occasion and performed by Vahagn Hayrapetyan jazz band. The festival will continue the Yerevan Premiere, Retrospective Screening, and Tribute of Honor non-contest programs. A novelty among these is the Book and Cinema program, which is organized in the frames of Yerevan, the World Book Capital proclaimed by UNESCO. The festival will also host a program of films from the Commonwealth of Independent States. “Cinema is a window opening to the boundless universe and a cauldron of human destinies. This art has a great mission of celebrating the diversity of the world and seeding endless love to it. I am confident the Armenian cinematography has its say among the variety of voices once again strengthens our country’s positions in the cultural mosaic of the world,” said VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian. The festival will be closed by the exclusive single screening of Love (Amour), the winner of the 65th Cannes Film Festival. To remind, the film co-produced by France, Germany, and Austria, is a double winner of this most prestigious award. The drama of love and loyalty by the great Michael Haneke and the constellation of actors involved in the film – Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emanuelle Riva and Isabelle Huppert. VivaCell-MTS, the general sponsor of the festival, encourages the efforts of the organizers to promote the arts among the new generation. Be ready for more! VivaCell-MTS... More than operator! VivaCell-MTS (K-Telecom CJSC) is Armenia’s leading mobile operator, having the widest 2G/3.75G/4G network reach and spreading a wide range of Voice and Data services all across Armenia. Having the best of the Armenian people interest at heart since its launch on 1st July 2005 and in a short period of time VivaCell-MTS has managed to build a nationwide network and a considerable customer base. VivaCell-MTS drives innovation and aims at always being at the forefront of any development serving the Armenian mobile communications market. For more information, visit www.vivacell.am * * * Mobile TeleSystems OJSC ("MTS") is the leading telecommunications group in Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, offering mobile and fixed voice, broadband, pay TV as well as content and entertainment services in one of the world's fastest growing regions. Including its subsidiaries, the Group services over 100 million mobile subscribers. The Group has been awarded GSM licenses in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Armenia and Belarus, a region that boasts a total population of more than 230 million. Since June 2000, MTS' Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT). Additional information about the MTS Group can be found at www.mtsgsm.com.

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