Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - The premiere of the film "To the End of the World" by Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurasawa and summing up the results of the International Tashkent Film Festival took place at the International Media Hall.

Timur Bekmambetov and a number of international film experts shared their impressions of the Tashkent Film Festival.

On 20 October, in the international media hall, which is an effective platform not only for political events related to the presidential elections in Uzbekistan, but also for the concentration of cultural events, the conference “Results of the 13th International Tashkent Film Festival“ Pearl of the Silk Road ”was held. The event was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, international organizations, leading film specialists from Uzbekistan and foreign countries, media representatives.

The meeting was opened by Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Aziz Abdukhakimov, Director General of the Agency of Cinematography Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Ambassador of Japan to Uzbekistan Yoshinori Fujiyama.

“I would like to note that the successful holding of the film festival, revived at the initiative of the head of state, is the merit of many specialists and organizations,” said Deputy Prime Minister Aziz Abdukhakimov. - The Tashkent Film Festival is also a large-scale investment by the state and a number of organizations in the development of the country’s film industry. I would like to especially note that it was decided to present the specialists who took an active part in the holding of the film festival, certificates of honor on behalf of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan for their active participation in organizing and holding the film festival. I would especially like to emphasize the merits of our foreign colleagues, who contributed no less to the preparation and holding of the film festival,” Aziz Abdukhakimov emphasized.

General Director of the Agency of Cinematography of Uzbekistan Firdavs Abdukhalikov thanked all the participants of the meeting and everyone who took an active part in the preparation of the film festival.

“Uzbek cinematography is on the rise now. Thanks to the development strategy of Uzbekistan, the last five years have become a colossal breakthrough in the film industry. And this is the opinion of the world’s leading film experts. This was also demonstrated by the film festival, which included the presentation of the capitally reconstructed Uzbekfilm building, the new technical equipment of the film concern worth US$28 million, the opening of a new House of Cinema, a cinema museum, six cinemas, a new building of the film fund, a branch of VGIK, and premieres of four national films, the return from abroad of the golden fund of films, dozens of master classes and meetings, presentations and events from world movie stars. This is not a complete list of events confirming the large-scale transformation of the film industry. This is a vivid result of reforms and colossal support of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev,” said the head of the Cinematography Agency.

As part of the event, a zoom conference was held with the participation of filmmakers from different countries. They summed up the results of the film festival, and also shared their feedback on this grandiose cinema event, revived at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The zoom conference was attended by famous Russian director Timur Bekmambetov, general director of the Belarusfilm film studio Vladimir Karachevsky, director of the Cinematography Department under the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism of Kyrgyzstan Muktaly Bektenaliev, Kyrgyz film critic, film historian, TV presenter Gulbara Tolomushova, executive director of the Iranian distribution company IRIB Media Trade Alireza Shakhrukhi, head of Roskino Evgenia Markova, head of the Vittorio Strada Foundation Olga Strada.

“On behalf of the Russian side, I would like to express gratitude for the organization of such an outstanding event in every sense. We are all imbued with how dynamically and quickly Uzbekistan is developing, and we believe in great, including joint, success. Thank you for raising this wave and reminding everyone around what power, what potential - cultural, creative, is inherent in Uzbekistan,” said the head of Roskino Evgenia Markova.

Speaking about plans for the future, she added: “As soon as we returned, we immediately began to think about the implementation of joint projects, intersection points in the field of cinematography. It is expected that a major event on co-production of Russia and Uzbekistan will take place in St. Petersburg. "

General Director of "Belarusfilm" Vladimir Karachevsky also stressed the practical importance of the Tashkent Film Festival and warmly responded to this grandiose event.

“My heart remained in Uzbekistan, we still live on the memories of the days spent in Tashkent. The Belarusian delegation conveyed greetings and words of sincere gratitude for the invitation to the Tashkent International Film Festival. Here I saw something useful for the Listopad film festival, which will soon take place in Minsk. Guests from Uzbekistan, filmmakers will take part in it. Also, we are already negotiating about co-production, filming a film about your compatriot Topivoldiev and holding the Days of Cinema of Uzbekistan in Belarus and the Days of Cinema of Belarus in Uzbekistan,” said Karachevsky.

Olga Strada, head of the Vittorio Strada Foundation, Italy, called the Tashkent International Film Festival a real inspiration.

“Everyone was impressed by the scale of the film festival, and I would like to express my deep gratitude to the organizers of this event. There are already proposals for the creation of joint film production with Italy. I believe that Uzbekistan is an excellent set for films of various genres, which will certainly be of interest to foreign filmmakers,” Olga Strada said.

All participants noted that they were looking forward to the next Tashkent International Film Festival "Pearl of the Silk Road". Vice Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Aziz Abdukhakimov invited all participants to the film festival, which is scheduled to be held next fall.

Over 300 participants took part in the Tashkent International Film Festival "Pearl of the Silk Road", 40 locations in the Republic of Uzbekistan were involved. Luc Besson, Steven Seagal, Gerard Depardieu, Timur Bekmambetov, Pavel Priluchny, Nikita Mikhalkov, Randhir Kapoor, Melisa Asly Pamuk, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Rob Minkoff, Franco Nero, Walter Afonasiev, Alexei Chadov and many others attended the event.

The organizers of the round table announced the presentation of a special magazine with reviews from guests of the film festival and bright events of this large-scale film festival.

At the end of the event, the premiere of the film "To the End of the World" by Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurasawa took place. This film is the first experience of joint work of Uzbek and Japanese filmmakers. As the Ambassador of Japan to Uzbekistan Yoshinori Fujiyama noted, “the action of the film takes place in Uzbekistan. This is an amazing story of a girl from Japan who came to Uzbekistan, who was able to find friends here and fall in love with this country.”