This year’s festival places a special spotlight on significant milestones in Kazakh cinema, including the 110th anniversary of the birth of Shaken Aimanov, a legendary figure whose legacy embodies the richness of the nation's cultural traditions.
“This year is especially meaningful for us as the festival aligns with major anniversaries. We are celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Kazakhfilm national film studio, the 40th anniversary of its naming after Shaken Aimanov, and the 110th anniversary of his birth. Shaken Aimanov is a true icon of Kazakh cinema, leaving an profound mark on its history and inspiring countless filmmakers. The revival of the Eurasia International Film Festival after a long hiatus symbolizes a fresh chapter for Kazakh cinema. Today, we witness the resurgence of Kazakhfilm as it continues to nurture talent and create films that resonate both nationally and internationally,” said Aidar Omarov, Acting President of JSC “Kazakhfilm National Film Studio named after Shaken Aimanov” and Director of the 17th Eurasia International Film Festival.
A festival highlight will be the screening of the restored version of the classic 1964 film Aldar Kose: The Beardless Trickster, directed by Shaken Aimanov.
“Our goal is to celebrate the richness of Kazakhstan’s and Central Asia’s cultural heritage. Screening of the restored version of Aldar Kose: The Beardless Trickster is both a tribute to the genius of Shaken Aimanov and an opportunity for audiences to rediscover his work in a new format,” said Diana Ashimova, Program Director of the 17th Eurasia International Film Festival.
Traditionally organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the festival is made possible by the support of sponsors and partners. The general partner is the international construction company Bazis-A, joined by leading organizations such as KAZ Minerals, Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), Sarens Kazakhstan, Salem Entertainment, the Kinopark cinema chain, and Astana Motors.
The festival's program features an international competition, as well as contests focusing on Central Asian and Turkic world films, complemented by business forums. Karim Kadyrbayev elaborated on these initiatives.
“The festival offers more than just competition screenings. It includes non-competitive programs, masterclasses, premieres, and business forums, creating valuable opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing among film industry professionals. Screenings will take place in Almaty’s state-of-the-art Kinopark 11 IMAX Esentai cinemas, while the business events will be hosted at the Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after Temirbek Zhurgenov,” shared Karim Kadyrbayev, Head of the Festival’s Business Platform.
The Eurasia Film Festival continues its mission of fostering cultural dialogue and promoting emerging talent in cinema. The festival’s success is greatly supported by its media partners: "Khabar" JSC, Qazaqstan TV Channel, NTK TV Channel, Europa Plus Kazakhstan, Eldoradio, Qazaq Gazetteri, Egemen Qazaqstan, Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, Antenna Kazakhstan, New Generation, ORDA, Kazinform International News Agency, Arbat Media, El.kz, Baq.kz.
