This year’s festival is dedicated to the outstanding Tajik cinematographer Tahir Sabirov, one of the most notable figures of Tajik cinema. A retrospective show of his best films will be organized in his honor.
According to Safar Haqdodov, the Director of the event, the current Festival collected a good programme of films. This year about 70 feature fictions, animated and short films from Tajikistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Russia, Belorussia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, India, Latvia, Ukraine and Mongolia were selected, and will be screened during the Festival.
During the selection process, a special attention was given to the role of women in cinematography because the burden of today’s challenging context lays, first largely on the shoulders of women.
One highlight of this autumn’s festival is the “Contest of national films” with 15 movies and cartoons of young Tajik cinematographers competing. Another highlight is the presentation of short films and cartoons of Afghan students from Kabul University. As a tradition, the festival’s programme also includes a roundtable with the topic: “Youth cinema: myth or reality?” where experts and participants will jointly analyze the issue.
“The festival today is well known and recognized regionally and internationally, hence contributing to a positive image of Tajikistan. The festival allows the audience to experience Tajik and other cultures through the lens of the artists, in this case the filmmakers”- said Walburga Roos, the Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan during the opening ceremony of the event.
An international jury composed of Diana Ashimova (Kazakhstan), Peter Scarlet (USA) and Daniel Zuest (Switzerland) will judge the films and announce the Festival’s winners.
The Swiss Cooperation office in Tajikistan along with the Open Society Institute and in cooperation with the Film Studio “Tajikfilm” and the Government of Tajikistan is supporting the event.
*Didor means a pleasant meeting in Tajik language.
