XIII Forum of the young cinema Umut-2026: Documentaries of the National competition

Documentaries of the National competition:

Seven documentaries will be shown at the National competition:

 ♦ «Тоолор мени кучактагыла» / «Dogdurbek Kydyraliev» by Gulzhan Iresh, Kyrgyzstan, 2025, 45’, doc., Kyrgyz with Russian subtitles.

Film of the Opening: 04.03.2016 at 2 pm, Ala-Too cinema, Bishkek

This is documentary about famous Kyrgyz actor & artist Dogdurbek Kydyraliev.

Dogdurbek Kydyraliev as Kojojash - the star of the Tolomush Okeyev's "The Descendant of the Snow Leopard". This film won the Silver Bear prize at the Berlinale-1985. His second famous film was “The Fall of Otrar”, 1991, Kazakhstan directed by Ardak Amirkulov. He played in many Kazakh films.

Last several years Kyrgyz directors invited him for starring.

Day, time and place: 05.03.2026 Cinema House, between 4:30 - 6:30 pm

 ♦ «Юность кыргызского балета»/ «The Youth of the Kyrgyz Ballet” by Ilimbek Maksatbekov, Kyrgyzstan, 2026, 14'43, doc., Russian with English subtitles.

Synopsis.Young ballerinas from Bishkek spend their days in the halls of a ballet school - trapped between strict discipline and elusive dreams. Between classes, they reflect on choice, love for ballet, their fears, and a future in which not all of them are destined to remain on stage.

 ♦ «Байдылданын сөзү» | «Baydylda’s Words» by Nurkanat Kubatov, Kyrgyzstan, 2026, 10'19, doc., Kyrgyz with Russian subtitles

Sinopsis. The film was shot on the outskirts of Bishkek, where there is a past and a present. Kurbatov Nurkanat's film tells the story of a man who has experienced conflict with his father, the horrors of war and family differences. The hero lives alone in his barn and longs for the old days, occasionally remembering his deceased friends. The plot focuses on his memories, which he has no right to forget, because all he has is the memory of the past.

 ♦ «Жаңгак токою»/ «Walnuts Forest» by Asan Kubanychbek, Kyrgyzstan, 2025, 11'07, doc., Kyrgyz with English subtitles

Synopsis. In the ancient forest of southern Kyrgyzstan, people live in harmony with nature, becoming a part of it. The Secret of the Forest is a poetic immersion into a world where humans are not masters, but the breath of the forest. Without words or explanations, the film conveys a deep sense of unity between man and nature through imagery, music, and editing.

 ♦ «Стать мужчиной»/«Becoming a Man» by Yerzhan Shamurzaev, Kyrgyzstan, 2025, 20'08, doc., Russian

Synopsis. The film explores whether we are truly prepared for a world that is changing faster than individuals can adapt. Through the stories of several characters, the director examines themes of growing up, choice, and personal responsibility in an age of acceleration. At the center of the narrative are a lawyer concerned about her son’s future; a young man striving for stability; a musician torn between a bank career and artistic expression; soldiers serving in the army; and an elderly steelworker who chose family over a life in the United States. Their decisions reflect different strategies of survival and self-definition amid constant change. Running parallel to these stories is the director’s personal reflection, connecting individual destinies with his own journey of maturity. In the final act, the film becomes an intimate statement about the search for authenticity in a world increasingly shaped by technology and artificial intelligence.

 ♦ «Неизвестный солдат»/ «Unknown Soldier» by Aiday Chotueva, Kyrgyzstan, 2025, 14’34, doc., Kyrgyz with Russian subtitles

Synopsis. It happened during the war. For some reason, the village council sent a fifteen-year-old boy, not yet an adult, to the front. He died there. When the death notice arrived, the village council never informed his family. Due to the indifference and negligence of the time, the young soldier's name didn't even appear on the list of missing in action.

 ♦ «Гүлбара»/«Gulbara» by Aiperi Ryspekova, Kyrgyzstan, 2025, 19'32, doc. Russian with Kyrgyz subtitles