From 11-15 June 2025, the Kyrgyz capital will host the third edition of the Bishkek International Film Festival (BIFF), which will further establish itself as a cornerstone event for filmmakers and industry professionals across Central Asia. With its unique blend of competitions, special screenings, retrospectives and professional programmes, BIFF is fast becoming a key fixture on the regional and international festival circuit.

The festival’s International Competition brings together nine features from around the world. The line-up includes Jongyong Choi’s Waterdrop (South Korea), Saleh Alavizadeh’s Rainbow’s Tale [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Olga Korotko
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The Central Asian Competition provides a sweeping view of the region’s cinematic creativity, with nine titles from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. Among the highlights are Ayub Shahobiddinov and Erkin Agzam’s In Pursuit of Spring (Uzbekistan), Elzat Eskendir’s Abel (Kazakhstan), Manzarali Sherali’s In the Search for Truth (Tajikistan) and Chingiz Narynov’s Mergen (Kyrgyzstan). This section underscores BIFF’s commitment to elevating regional storytelling and cross-border visibility.

The KyrgyzBox strand celebrates national productions, showcasing a mix of box-office successes and emerging voices. Notable titles include Wrestler by Azamat Ismailov, Kyrgyz on Mars by Nurlanbek Kamchybekov, and Shut Down by Ilgiz Kuvatbek and Shamilbek Bekbosun Uulu. These films reflect a dynamic local industry ready to engage with international audiences.

This year’s guest countries of honour, France and Germany, are represented through the French-German Cinema Week, featuring six acclaimed films such as Sophie Linnenbaum’s The Ordinaries [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Sophie Linnenbaum
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intervista: Frédéric Farrucci
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Q&A: Andreas Dresen
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In a celebratory nod to Kyrgyz cinema history, the festival will host a retrospective of Tolomush Okeev on the occasion of the director’s 90th birthday. The programme includes three of his most iconic pictures: Bakai’s Pasture, Ulan and The Descendant of the Snow Leopard.

Industry activity is another key pillar of BIFF. The CAF Pitch will present ten in-development projects from emerging Central Asian filmmakers, competing for a 300,000 KGS (€3,000) prize. Parallel to this, a rich line-up of workshops and master classes will be led by international professionals including Mohammad Reza Rahmani, Ozren K Glaser and Andrzej Bartkowiak, touching on topics such as AI in filmmaking, international casting and VFX trends.

Running alongside the public programme, the Central Asian Film Distribution Forum aims to strengthen regional cooperation and build new networks. Discussions will explore the role of digital platforms, co-production strategies and opportunities in neighbouring territories such as Iran, Sakha, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

With over 40 films, multiple training initiatives and a growing professional audience, the 2025 edition of BIFF stands out not only as a showcase of bold and original cinema, but also as a platform actively investing in the future of Central Asian film.

Among the confirmed guests coming to the Kyrgyz capital this year are famed actors Dominic West, Shinnosuke Abe and Michele Placido, Red Sea Fund head Mohammad Jastania, producer at Saga Film Hubert Toint, Sørfond project manager Mads Woelner, Cottbus Film Festival director Bern Buder, Dhaka International Film Festival’s Ahmed Mutaba Zamal and El Gouna head of programming Andrew Mohsen.

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