The first Tashkent international film forum “Golden Cheetah” opened in the capital of Uzbekistan on 19 October. The event is being held in the framework of the Art Week Style.uz by the Fund “Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan” and the Uzbekkino national agency.

Cinematographers from dozens of countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America arrived in Tashkent for the festival, which has a slogan “21st Century Civilization: Dialogue of Cultures”.

The six main prizes of the forum – statues of the Golden Cheetah – will be presented to winners of the contest in six nominations – the best full and short-length films, best animation, best film director, as well as the best male and female actors.

The Tashkent film forum has a particular importance, forum general director Akbar Hakimov said at the opening ceremony. It is the first international film event on such a high scale in the new history of Uzbekistan, he stressed.

The aim of the forum is not only to showcase the best films from around the world, but also revive the interest of the wide public to the cinema and give a new boost to the further development of the great potential the national cinema art has, UzA notes.

Filmmakers from almost 50 countries submitted applications to the forum, and only 12 works were selected of 139 full-length, 15 each of 74 short-length and 87 animated films.

Among the contenders are a number of works of the Uzbek cinematographers, including two-full length, two short and one animated films.

The festival opened with the film “Under the Hawthorn Tree” by Zhang Yimou of China.

The Tashkent film forum programme includes demonstration of the French animated films, short films project Non-Stop and the daily Uzbek movies show.