Internationally recognised art and literary critic, writer and cultural producer. Published in ELLE, Glamour, Esquire and Cosmopolitan; member of the Union of Writers.
The sixth ECG Film Festival took place in London from 24-28 May, marking a significant celebration of Eurasian cinema. Held in collaboration with the eighth Romford Film Festival at the Premier Cinemas Romford, the event saw a vibrant convergence of cultures and artistic expressions.
This year, nearly 100 submissions from 22 countries graced the festival, showcasing the diverse talents of filmmakers from Poland, the UK, Kyrgyzstan, Spain, Russia, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Armenia and Kuwait. In particular, the ECG Film Festival is the only platform in the UK dedicated to the promotion of cinema from Eurasian nations.
The festival opened with the exhibition ‘Nomadic Narratives’, featuring works by Kyrgyz artists. The highlight of the exhibition was Dungan artist Rahima Arli, whose creations were born during her residency at ECG Horizons Rugby, right here in London.
Literature and cinema went hand in hand as editor John Fardon presented new books by Gulsifat Shakhidi (Tajikistan) and “Is It Necessary to Worship at Notre Dame?” by Alihan Zhaksylyk (Kazakhstan). These presentations were accompanied by speeches from ECG Vice-President Marat Akhmedzhanov and Natalie Base, founder of the Romford Film Festival.
Renowned Azerbaijani poet Sahib Mamedov further enriched the event by reciting poems dedicated to the festival participants.
On 25 May, British audiences had the unique opportunity to enjoy a non-competitive screening of Russian films, thanks to the collaboration of SIFFA organiser Lyubov Balagov-Kandır. From the family comedy “The Aul Test” to the war drama “Maria. Save Moscow”, the documentary about the famous poet Voznesensky “3723 Voznesensky” and the love story in “The Circassian”, set in Jordan in 1900, each film had a compelling narrative that captivated audiences.
The festival culminated on 28 May with an awards ceremony where the winners were announced:
Maria Bregman, Editor-in-chief of Creativitys.UK and Marat Akhmedjanov, ECG vice chairman
– Honorary Achievement Certificate for Music Video: Natasha Hart MBE ‘Angel’s Star’ (United Kingdom) | Tamara Egorova, Oliver Morris
– Mirror (Armenia) | Romen Tsaturian
– CERTIFICATE OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT In recognition of outstanding efforts to promote literature through the medium of cinema: “3723 Voznesensky” (Russia) | Valery Belov
Medals of appreciation were presented by Eurasian Creative Guild President Marta Brassart to artist Rahima Arli, young director Timur Akhmedzhanov and musical duo “Sherhon”.
The awards ceremony included performances by the duo “Sherhon” from Uzbekistan and Kamchat Kumysbai, director of the Kazakh Cultural Centre in London.
The VI ECG Film Festival attracted a diverse audience of artists from Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, USA, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Austria, Uzbekistan and beyond. Notable filmmakers and producers such as Paul Brett, Katie Tyson, Cammy Darwish and Meredith Brett also joined the celebration of Eurasian cinema.
Guests of honour included the Mayor of Romford, Jerry O’Sullivan, members of the London Borough of Havering and representatives from the embassies of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Russia and Belarus.
The ECG Film Festival truly exemplified a fusion of cultures and artistic expressions, providing a platform for international dialogue and appreciation of the rich cinematic landscape of Eurasia.
