Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Wata, a film by Uzbek director Rashid Malikov, has won the Best Feature Film award at the 10th Eurasian Bridge International Film Festival, held in Moscow from 5 to 9 October.
The film tells the story of a woman who faces a series of difficulties and tries to find new meaning in her life.
Malikov said he particularly valued the recognition from audiences and the jury, noting that once a film has been completed, its creators can no longer influence how viewers interpret the story.
The director also thanked the entire production team, including the actors, producers, cinematographers, production designer and composers. He said he shared the award with everyone involved in the project.
According to Malikov, cinema can bring together people from different countries, cultures and linguistic backgrounds. He said this ability was one of the medium’s greatest strengths.
Vladimir Zakharenko won the Best Director award for the Russian film On the Edge of Childhood. The jury gave a special mention to The Little Restaurant of Ki Nam, directed by Vietnamese filmmaker Leon Lee.
In the documentary competition, Yulia Bobkova’s Angelic Rank took the top prize. The film focuses on the Novodevichy Convent and the women who have devoted themselves to religious service.
The Turkish film Post-Truth, by Alkan Avcıoğlu, received a special mention from the jury. The film was created entirely using artificial intelligence.
The festival’s 10th edition featured nine feature films and nine documentaries from 14 countries. Screenings took place at the Illusion cinema and venues operated by the Moschino cinema network.
The feature film competition jury comprised directors Yusup Razykov and Lam Tanh Zhao, as well as producer and screenwriter Maria Borodyanskaya.
The Eurasian Bridge Film Festival has been held since 2016 with the support of Russia’s Ministry of Culture.
The idea for the festival was presented by Nikita Mikhalkov in 2014 during a presentation of his film Sunstroke.
