From May 22nd to 27th, London hosted the 7th annual Eurasian Film Festival, an international celebration of Eurasian cinema. Organized by the Silk Road Media and the Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG), the festival is traditionally held in partnership with the Romford Film Festival, uniting filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals from across the globe.
This year, submissions came from over 23 countries, and the festival program featured a diverse range of feature films, short films, documentaries, animated films, mobile video films, music videos, and screenplays.
ECG Film Festival 2025 Winners:
Animation
1st Place: Sirin’s Song — Elena Turova (Belarus)
Documentary
1st Place: The Master of the Altai Mountains — Vadim Vitovtsev & Ilya Tsyganov (Russia)
Audience Award: Baltic Radiation: The Art of Inspiration — Aldona Grupas (UK)
Contribution to Cinema Award: No Need of Paradise — Alicia Maksimova (UK)
Feature Films
1st Place: Where The White Cranes Dance — Mikhail Lukashevskiy (Russia)
1st Place: Aydillar — Muzaffarkhon Erkinov & Muzaffar Karabayev (Uzbekistan)
Audience Award: Magtymguly Pyragy — Muzaffarkhon Erkinov (Turkmenistan/Uzbekistan)
Contribution to Cinema Award: The Dark Castle — Kirill Kuzin (Belarus)
Mobile Video
1st Place: In The Bag — Montgomery David Taylor (UK)
Music Video (Audience Award)
Flower Fields — Romen Tsaturyan (Armenia)
Life Goes On — Natasha Hart, MBE (UK)
Screenplays (Special Jury Mentions)
The Duel — Zhorabek Musabayev (Kazakhstan)
Once Upon a Time There Was a Black Cat — Irina Gurkova (Russia)
Short Films
1st Place: Poncha — Kaisha Rakhimova (Kazakhstan)
Audience Award: Call — Asem Kuanishbayeva (Kazakhstan)
Special Jury Mentions:
- The Rat — Zhantik Baymukhamedov (Kazakhstan)
- Squirrel and Humanity — Alexander Levin (USA)
Contribution to Cinema: - Daddy Arrived — Almaz Kossobaev (Kyrgyzstan)
- Fence — Lev Evlampiev (Russia)
- The Very Wild Wild West — Maksim & Sergei Solonovich (USA)
Literature & Cinema: A Dialogue of the Arts
A key theme of this year’s festival was the connection between literature and film. The program featured a presentation of The Legends of the Great Silk Road: Adventures of the Spirit of Time — a children’s book series by Gulchekhra-begim Makhmudova — which explored its screen adaptation potential.
Prominent guests in this dialogue included Anna Gharib, Open Eurasia literary award winner, and Ukrainian poet Serhii Bilyi, who presented a future screen project based on his novel The Maestro and the Muse.
On May 27th, a special crowdfunding event was held, giving attendees the opportunity to co-invest in an upcoming film. Spearheaded by British actress Francesca Mepham, the initiative generated significant industry interest.
Special Recognitions
As part of the event, Poezija Londyn Foundation, established by ECG Chair Marta Brassart, presented honorary medals to:
- Anna Gharib — writer (Ukraine)
- Olga Igumnova — creative leader (Coventry, UK)
- Zhazira Zhanabayeva — artist (Kazakhstan)
- Lidia Belozerova (Solonovich) — Guild guardian (USA)
Zhazira Zhanabayeva’s solo art exhibition from Kazakhstan was also featured, running successfully from May 22nd to 27th.
The festival welcomed diplomats, cultural and film industry figures, including representatives from the embassies of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, as well as acclaimed actress and producer Mamta Kash.
A special guest of honor was Ray Morgon, Head of the Havering Borough Council.
Filmmakers had the chance to connect with Spencer Hawken, founder of the Romford Film Trust, and Peter Blunden, director of Lumiere Cinema, opening opportunities for potential theatrical distribution in London.
Creativitys UK Awards
The festival also hosted the Creativitys UK Awards on the Romford stage, where Maria Bregman presented a special honor to Marat Akhmedjanov, head of the Silk Road Media holding, for his outstanding contribution to international cultural collaboration.
Leadership Transition
After four years of dedicated service, Anna Lari officially handed over the directorship of the ECG Film Festival to Alexandra Rey, marking a new chapter for the festival’s future.
Closing Ceremony
The festival concluded on May 28th with an informal closing celebration at the Ron L. Hubbard Museum (Fitzroy House), where guests enjoyed traditional English tea in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
And now — forward!
The 2026 Season of the Eurasian Film Festival is officially open, and we are now accepting submissions.
Have a film, script, music video, or animation ready to shine?
Don’t miss your chance to be part of the next chapter.
Submit now: https://filmfreeway.com/ECGFilmFestival
For media inquiries and partnerships:
info@eurasianfilmfestival.uk
