The Turkmenistan and World Cinematography International Documentary and Short Feature Film Festival closed in the Turkmen capital.
The large-scale cultural event held on the initiative and under the patronage of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov brought together the workers of culture and art from different part of the world in the hospitable Turkmen land.
The festival programme included over 50 films representing 20 countries worldwide. Turkmen cinematography was represented by the documentary and short films made at Oguz Khan Turkmenfilm Association in the past years.
The three-day forum was a unique opportunity for the people of Turkmenistan to get acquainted with the modern trends in development of world cinematography, the bright works created by film directors, cameramen and actors. The film retrospectives were arranged in the framework of the Festival.
The Ashgabat Festival serving for the cinematographers from different couturiers as the platform for artistic communication, exchange of experiences and strengthening the bridges of friendship offered new incentives for cultural advance and development of the national cinematography.
Of course, providing our numerous foreign guests with an opportunity to discover independent neutral Turkmenistan and the national traditions and customs the Festival profoundly contributed to popularization of the rich cultural heritage of the Turkmen people and the achievements gained by Turkmenistan on the path of national revival worldwide.
Speaking at the closing ceremony the cinematographers from different countries worldwide expressed sincere gratitude to the Turkmen leader for hospitality and high level of organisation of the art forum. The guests of Turkmenistan called for maintaining close co-operation enhancing mutual understanding and friendship among different peoples.
The jury awarded Grand Prix to The Whirl created at the Oguz Khan Turkmenfilm Association by film directors B. Abdullaev and L. Stepanskaya in the nomination Documentary Cinematography. The Scoreboard created by the Iranian cinematographers was announced the best short feature film.
The film collection of the Munich High School (Germany), Mirzo Ulugbek – An Explorer of the Stars (documentary film, Uzbekistan), Azerbaijani Motifs (Azerbaijan), The First Day (Poland), Brykin’s Pine Forest (Russia), Living Resonance (India), The Shoes (Czechia) and Choreographic Art of China (PRC) received the encouragement prizes
The full-length films – General (USA), In Unison with Clatter of Horses' Hoofs (Kyrgyzstan), Harry Potter (Great Britain), Viper in the Fist (France), Mother Anush (Armenia), The White Bird with the Black Spot (Ukraine), Father and Son (Turkey), Wild Animals of the World (Belarus), Child’s Dreams (Tajikistan) and Wine Grandmother (Korea) received the special diplomas of the Ashgabat Festival.
On behalf of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov the diplomas and valuable presents were awarded to the guests so that they would remember the days they had spent in the hospitable Turkmen land.
On behalf of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov an official dinner was given in honour the participants of the Turkmenistan and World Cinematography International Documentary and Short Feature Film Festival.
So, the First Ashgabat Film Festival that became a remarkable event in the social and cultural life of the country and vividly and convincingly embodied the firmness of the values common to all mankind such as the ideals of peace, creation and kindness underlying the idea of the art forum in Turkmenistan is over. We do not say good bye to the Festival participants, we say “See you soon in the hospitable Turkmen land! Hos geldiniz!”