For Uzbek filmmakers, the Umut Forum is already a familiar platform.Uzbekistan was represented at the 10th anniversary forum in 2022, when the international competition featured films from eight countries. At the current 13th Forum, 18 films from directors from Uzbekistan, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Japan have been selected for the international competition.
Uzbek cinema is showcased this year through an international co-production, The Dream of Reason.

The Dream of Reason

Directed by Talgar Zamir-Seit, the film is a co-production of Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Uzbekistan and Russia. Completed in 2025, it runs for 30 minutes, fitting well with the festival’s focus on short films. The screening took place on 5 March 2026 at the Chingiz Aitmatov House of Cinema.
The international competition this year includes 18 films from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia and other countries. The forum has always focused on debut works, following its founding mission to give emerging directors from the CIS their first major screen. The Uzbek debut was screened on 5 March from 15:30 to 16:00, with free admission.
The festival’s slogan “With Love from Paris” pays tribute to the life and artistic journey of People’s Artist of Kyrgyzstan, Dokhdurbek Kydyraliyev, an actor, film artist, and VGIK graduate, whose career bridges Soviet cinema and European cultural influences. Kydyraliyev is renowned for his roles in iconic films such as The Descendant of the Snow Leopard (1985), Farewell, Gulsary! (2008), and The Fall of Otrar (1992). The forum also honours veteran Kyrgyz film scholar, critic, and educator Seyit Bokonbaev, who met participants for a live session on 6 March at the House of Cinema.
The national competition highlights the selection of distinctive works, including documentary The Youth of the Kyrgyz Ballet by Ilimbek Maksatbekov, the animation Demon of the Mount Kaigy by Viola Mustafina, and the Kyrgyz-French co-production Balyk by Tolomush Zhanybekov. On March 6, Program Director Gulbara Tolomushova personally moderated the screenings, helping to maintaina the forum’s close and engaging atmosphere.
Running alongside the main programme is the Umut Industry platform, offering masterclasses, lectures and short film project pitching, all aimed at practical results. Supported by the Department of Cinematography of the Ministry of Culture of Kyrgyzstan and the Interstate Humanitarian Cooperation Fund of the CIS, the forum demonstrates its role not only as a screening platform but also as a space for genuine professional collaboration.