Festivals: call for entries

Kyrgyz Serial: The contest of scripts (2024_kg)
 
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Call for entries: The VI Film Forum Of Women Film Directors Of Kyrgyzstan

 

Deadline: 01.03.2024

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XI Forum of the young cinema Umut-2024

 

Dates & place: 28.03-01.04.24, 2024, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Organizer: Cinema Department with support: Interstate humanitarian cooperation fund
Participants: Ex-Soviet countries
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Wednesday, 04 January 2012 00:00

 

About Central Asian International Film Festivals for the NETPAC 

 

President of the NETPAC (Network by promotion Asian Cinema) Ms. Aruna Vasudev asked me to prepare the article about important IFF in Central Asia. Thus, I wrote this material by request of Ms. Aruna Vasudev. 

 

CENTRAL ASIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS
 
General Information about region:
 
Central Asia is stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to the China in the east and from Afghanistan in the south to Russia in the north.

Central Asia consist of five countries: Kazakhstan (population - 16.0 million), Kyrgyzstan (5.5 million), Tajikistan (7.3 million), Turkmenistan (5.1 million), and Uzbekistan (27.6 million), for a total population of 61.5 million as of 2009.

 

Film production on a sustainable basis is carried out in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. In Tajikistan films make very seldom, due of Civil war of the 90-th years, when many well-known filmmakers went abroad.
The situation with cinematography in Turkmenistan is unclear due to the close of the country from the world.
In Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are regularly held international film festivals or forums.

 

Let introduce the most important festivals in the Central Asia:

In Kazakhstan - International Film Festival (IFF) "Eurasia" and Almaty International Film Festival "Shaken Stars".

In Kyrgyzstan - "Art-House Film Festival""One World Kyrgyzstan" International festival of documentary films on human rights and Film Festival for the CIS, Baltic States and Georgia "Kyrgyzstan - the land of short movies".

In Tajikistan - International Film Festival "Didory-Dushanbe".

In Uzbekistan - Tashkent International film forum "Golden Gepard".


International Film Festivals (IFF) in Kazakhstan:

 
I. IFF “Eurasia”:
Over the years «Eurasia» has established itself as a major film festival – the only one in the cinema world, which represents the Eurasian cinematography, and especially our region of Central Asia. The «Eurasia» film festival has entered the world of film festivals and is registered in FIAPF – International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations. First edition was hold in 1998. This festival was restored in 2005. Last year was held the VII «Eurasia» International Film Festival in Almaty from 19 to 24 September 2011. International jury was headed by Kim Ki-duk, famous Korean film-director. Grand-Prix: The First Rains of Spring by Erlan Nurmukhamentov & Sano Shinju (Kazakhstan-Japan). Prize for the Direction: Sunny Days by Nariman Turebaev, Kazakhstan. NETPAC Award has given to the film "The Lead" by Uzbek film-director Zulfikar Musakov.
 
II. The Almaty IFF “Shaken Stars”:
An annual film festival “Shaken’s Stars” is the title of the Almaty International film festival, an exclusive competition of young film makers and debut films, which has become a traditional event and is a tribute to the memory of Shaken Aimanov, patriarch of the Kazakh cinematography, distinguished actor and film director, whose creative activity has been internationally acknowledged. The first edition was hold in 2003. Last year was held the IX Almaty IFF “Shaken’s Stars” from 11 to 15 May 2011. Kyrgyz young film-makers were among the winners: Asel Juraeva for the short documentary “Cradle of Happiness” and “Kovcheg” producing company for the full-length documentary project “Country and State”.      

 

International Film Festivals (IFF) in Kyrgyzstan:

 

I. Art-House Film Festival is held by Cinema Development Fund by support Fund Hivos and other organizations.

Background and goals: In 2005 a group of leaders in the field of Kyrgyz cinema decided to develop a concept and strategy of cinema development in Kyrgyzstan in order to find ways of solving existing problems in this sector.
Finally a strategic document consisting of 43 pages was developed – Target programme “ Kyrgyz Cinema – 2010”, later named as “Strategy 10+”.

This document covers all main directions in development of Kyrgyz cinema: education, technical equipment, film production, author’s rights, distribution and marketing, film festival and TV channel of arthouse cinema.
Annually report round table is held, where the results of implemented work are discussed, moreover the plans for every next year are established. Every time, while realizing the projects, we get confirmation that the goals of the Strategy 10+ can be reached.

Vision: To promote Kyrgyz cinema to world film markets, To take own niche in modern film process, Kyrgyzstan – is a territory of arthouse cinema.

Results: Kyrgyz films are invited to International film festivals, Kyrgyz films have world distribution, Kyrgyz young film directors declare about themselves in modern cinematography etc.

Conception and format: Art-House Film-Festival - is a unique forum which has a format of non-competitive programs and which represents cinema as an art: new films, films at the stage of production, film-projects, young cinema.

Arthouse Film Festival – is a laboratory for special professional communication of the creators of the films and invited film critics, world distributors, European film producers, programmers of prestigious film festivals and film funds.  

Art-House Film Festival  Festival is held once in every two year. First edition was in 2007 at the Bishkek city and Issyk-Kul Lake. Third Art-House Film-Festival was held from 17 to 21 of the November 2011 at the Bishkek city. 

P.S. The "Open Doors" program at the Locarno International Film Festival 2010 was focused on the Central Asian cinema after the Art-director of this prestigious festival, Olivier Père has participated in the Second Art-House Film Festival in 2009.
 

II. "One World Kyrgyzstan" International festival of documentary films on human rights - part of an international network of human rights film festivals, whose center is located in the Czech Republic, where is helding main documentary film festival on human rights "Eden Svet" (One World-Prague).

The IFF "One World Kyrgyzstan” is held by Human Rights Center “Citizens Against Corruption” with support of Hivos Fund and European Commission. The first forum was held in 2007.

The IFF “One World Kyrgystan” is constantly developing. Whilst the first three forums were confined only with one competitional program, there were two competitions: the National and International ones held in 2010.

In 2001 the first time in the festival history there were three competition programs: national, international and program of films on youth and children rights. Thus there were three jury teams.
IFF "One World Kyrgystan" has a roving format. The competitive part is usually has been held in Bishkek in late September - early October and then in October festival goes on tour by the regions of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
In 2011, there was a success the Fifth Festival "One World Kyrgyzstan". Ms. Roza Otunbayeva, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, had the speech at the opning ceremony.

The V edition has been held from September 27 - October 2, 2011, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at the "Manas" cinema.

In the International Competition Grand Prix was awarded to the producer of the Congo, Tunde Wa Munga Joe for his film "Congo in four acts."

The National Competition Grand Prix was awarded to the young Kyrgyz film-director Asel Zhuraeva for the film "The Road to Mecca".

The main prize of the Youth Jury was awarded to the film from the USA "Poster Girl".

 

III. The main aim of the Film Festival for the CIS, Baltic States and Georgia "Kyrgyzstan - the land of short movies" is the cultural dialogue between the countries of CIS, Baltic States and Georgia.The festival is held by Public Foundation "AITYSH" with support MFGS - Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation from Moscow, Russia. The festival program includes two competitions: the National competition and International competition for the film-directors from CIS, Baltic states and Georgia.
The First edition has been held
from December 12 to 15, 2011 at the Bishkek cinema "Manas".
Winner of International competition was the short film "Water" by Alijan Nasirov (Kyrgyzstan), winner of the National Competition became the film "Song of the Rain" by Aigul Bakanova (Kyrgyzstan).

 

International Film Festival (IFF) in Tajikistan:

 

The main aim of the International Film Festival "Didory-Dushanbe" - the development of cultural cooperation between filmmakers of Central Asia and Persian-speaking countries.
Tajikistan occupies a special position in contemporary humanitarian process in Central Asia. It's becomes a kind of the cultural bridge between the four Turkic-speaking countries of Central Asia and two neighboring Persian-speaking states: Iran and Afhganistan.

The idea for organizing the International Film Festival in Tajikistan belongs to the famous Iranian film-maker - Mr. Mohsen Makhmalbaf.
The first International Film Festival "Didor" was held in October 2004. The Grand Prix Festival awarded the film made by Ernest Abdyjaparov "Saratan" (Kyrgyzstan). The prize for Best Direction was awarded Kyrgyz film-director Marat Sarulu for the movie "Rough river, Placid sea". Since 2010, IFF "Didor" has the competiton for the jury NETPAC, and the NETPAC prize awarded Georgian director Georgi Ovashvili for the film "The Other Bank" (Georgia-Kazakhstan).
IFF "Didor-Dushanbe" is held every two years. In October, 2012 will be held the fifth "Didor".

 

International Film Festival (IFF) in Uzbekistan:

 

Tashkent International Film Forum "Golden Gepard".

Focused on the broad public interest the Fund Forum, a major public organization based in Tashkent, has made a decision to organize Tashkent International Film Forum “Golden Gepard”. The Film Forum is organized by the Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan Foundation with support from Uzbekkino National Agency.
Tashkent International Film Forum “Golden Gepard” is a competition-based event featuring a jury comprising high-profile professionals. The contest program presents full-length films, short films and animated films.
Winner of the main competiton for the full-length feature films became the movie "The Lead" made by Uzbek film-director Zulfikar Musakov.
Winner of the short fiction competiton became the film "Burned, Cooked, Raw" made by Iranian film-director Shakhrom Mukri 
 
Gulbara Tolomushova specially for NETPAC
07.01.2012, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan