The IX European Film Festival in Uzbekistan – bridges of friendship between the cultures of peoples!
As was emphasized during the Press Conference on the day of the opening ceremony, the festival offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the cultural ties between the European Union and Uzbekistan, as well as to demonstrate the richness and diversity of European cinema.
EU in Uzbekistan
“The annual European Film Festival is a truly special event, which gives the Uzbek audience the chance to see the world through the eyes of European filmmakers. Each film in the program opens up a world full of emotions, reflections and true stories that unite people around the world. In honor of the 30th anniversary of partnership between the EU and Uzbekistan, we are pleased to use this opportunity to create intercultural dialogue through films. We cordially invite you to dive in to this vibrant kaleidoscope of stories and emotions and to discover the richness of European cinema." - H.E. Mr Toivo Klaar, Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan
EU in Uzbekistan
The European Film Festival again unites our nations through art, and for this I express my deep gratitude to the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan. This event allows us not only to enjoy cinema masterpieces, but also to build bridges of friendship between our cultures. We highly value this cooperation and are confident that together we can make it even brighter and more meaningful for all viewers. I sincerely thank everyone who contributed to organizing this event. Let the festival become a window into the world of inspiration, unity and cultural dialogue for everyone!" - Mr Shukhrat Rizayev, Chairperson of the Cinematography Agency.
EU in Uzbekistan
Ms Maria Musakova, the head of the FOCUS Film and Theater School, also spoke at the press conference. She elaborated on the school's activities and announced that as part of the film festival, with financial support from the EU, Maciej Drygas — a film director, producer, and professor at the Leon Schiller National Film, Television, and Theatre School (Poland) — will arrive in Tashkent on 15 December. She also presented the EU-FOCUS FILM CAMP project, which is being implemented with the financial support of the European Union. This unique project brings together young talents and creates opportunities for professional development and creative expression in the cinema field.
EU in Uzbekistan
The festival programme was opened by the film "Luxembourg, Luxembourg" by the young Ukrainian director Antonio Lukic. The film received the award for best director at the 20th International Festival in Monte Carlo. The film was also presented in the main competition of the PriGlobal International Feature Film Week, which was held under the auspices of the Pristina International PriFest Film Festival, and won in the Best Film nomination.
The festival screenings will be held at the Alisher Navoi National Palace of Cinema Arts (Panorama) in Tashkent from 29 November to 1 December. The film schedule is built in a special way: three films will be shown per day - at 11:00, 14:00 and 19:00. The program includes comedies and dramas, with a special focus on documentaries, which will be shown daily at 14:00.
11:00 and 19:00 are the time for feature films, including a sparkling Bulgarian comedy “The Naked Truth about the Zhiguli Group” and the insightful family drama “The first snow” - the story of an Iranian family awaiting a decision on refugee status in Finland.
This year's selection of documentaries deserves special attention. Among them is “Childhood of Imad”, a film about a boy who spent half of his life in ISIS captivity, and the film “Trained to See: Three Women and War” - an inspiring portrait of three pioneering journalist women who went down in history as the first female correspondents covering the events of World War II.
Each film is certainly worthy of the viewer's attention!
The programme also includes screenings at the National University of Uzbekistan, Fergana Polytechnic University and the Medical Institute of Karakalpakstan in Nukus. These are special screenings, organized with the assistance of the Erasmus+ educational program in Uzbekistan, which is implemented with the financial assistance of the European Union.
The Erasmus+ programme in Uzbekistan actively promotes the development of education, academic mobility and cooperation between universities in Uzbekistan and European educational institutions. The National Erasmus+ Office in Uzbekistan coordinates the program's activities, supports local universities and provides information for students, teachers and other participants.
The purpose of these events is to introduce students to European culture. Students will have the opportunity to interact with the Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan, as well as with representatives of the embassies of European countries. It will be a possibility to discuss not only impressions from the films, but also issues related to educational programmes.
Important notice:
- The European Film Festival is taking place at the Alisher Navoi National Palace of Cinema arts (Panorama) in Tashkent: sessions from 29 November to 1 December.
- Entrance is free and in a first come, first served order;
- All films will be shown in their original language with subtitles in Uzbek and English languages.
- You can view the film catalogue and detailed film program on the social networks of the EU Delegation to Uzbekistan: Telegram, Facebook, Instagram
About the European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European countries. It is founded on the values of human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of individuals, belonging to minorities. The EU acts at the global level to promote sustainable development of society, the environment and the economy.
Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Uzbekistan
International Business Center, Amir Temur Avenue 107B, 100084, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Phones: +998 78 120 16 01/02/03/04
Fax: +998 78 120 16 08
E-mail: [email protected]
