Dates of the festival: 16-19.07.2026

Place of the festival: Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan:

 

Jury of the SCO Film Festival Kyrgyzstan

 

● Ernest Abdyzhaparov, Chairperson, film-director, screenwriter, producer, Kyrgyzstan

 

Ernest Abdyzhaparov, Kyrgyzstan

 

Ernest Abdyzhaparov, a film director, screenwriter, and producer from Kyrgyzstan. His career as a director began with the documentary "I Worship the Spirit of Almanbet" in 1993. Since 2008, he has conducted master classes annually and has cultivated a whole cohort of cinematic followers. To date, he directed 15 full-length feature films, over 20 short and documentary films, and written 40 scripts, more than half of which have already been filmed.

   Most Significant Works:

♦ Taranchy, short, 1995б Grand Prix at the Drama IFF (Greece, 1996) etc.

♦ Ostanovka/The Stop, short, 2001, Main prize in the short film section at the Kinoshok IFF, Anapa (Russia, 2001) etc.

♦ Saratan, 2004, Grand Prix at the Didor IFF, Dushanbe (Tajikistan, 2004) etc.

♦ Pure Coolness, 2007, World premiere at the Rotterdam IFF (Netherlands, 2007) etc.

♦ Sayakbay. Homer of the XX Century, 2017, Special Innovation Prize & World premiere at the Montreal WFF (Canada, 2017) etc.

♦ Sagynbai Manaschy, 2022, Special Prize at the Kazan IFF (Tatarstan, 2022) etc.

 

● Svеtlana Sukhovey, Honored artist of the Republic of Belarus, Awarded the Francysk Skaryna Medal (2007) Awarded the Order of Francysk Skaryna (2013)

 

Svetlana Sukhovey, Belarus

 

   Honored Artist of the Republic of Belarus Svetlana Ivanovna Sukhovey.

   In 1973, she graduated from VGIK (All-Union State Institute of Cinematography, workshop of Professor I.V. Talankin, Belarusian intake) and from the same year began working at the Belarusfilm studio as an actress.

   Since 1981, she has been a member of the troupe of the Honored Collective of the Republic of Belarus "Film Actor's Theater-Studio of the National Film Studio 'Belarusfilm.'"

   From 2008 to 2012, she was a deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus of the IV convocation, serving as Deputy Chairperson of the Standing Commission on Education, Culture, Science, and Scientific and Technological Progress. With her direct participation, draft laws were prepared on amendments and additions to the Laws of the Republic of Belarus "On Cinematography," "On Culture," "On Copyright and Related Rights," and other legislative acts.

   Honored Artist of the Republic of Belarus (1999).

   Awarded the Francysk Skaryna Medal (2007),

   Awarded the Pushkin Medal, Russian Federation (2007),

   Awarded the Order of Francysk Skaryna (2013).

 

● Sayora Hudoyberdieva, member of the expert commission of the Cinematography Agency, producer, production manager, sound Engineer Uzbekistan

 

Sayora Hudoyberdieva, Uzbekistan

 

   Education: Leningrad Institute of Cinema Engineers (LIKI), specializing in Sound Engineering (1981–1986).
   Professional Experience:
   Sound Engineer at Uzbekfilm Studio (1986–2000).

   Film Producer / Production Manager (2000–2019).

   Head of the International Relations Department, Agency of Cinematography of the Republic of Uzbekistan (2019–2022).

   Head of the International Relations Department, Center for the Development of National Cinematography (2022–2025).

   Since 2021 – Member of the Expert Commission under the Agency of Cinematography of Uzbekistan and active film producer.
   Member of the Organizing Committee of the Tashkent International Film Festival (2021–2024).

 

● Hou Keming, PhD, director & producer, professor, ex-vice-president of The Beijing Film Academy.

 

Hou Keming, China

 

   Born in 1959, Beijing. Graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 1979.

   Film director and producer, Professor of the DirectingDepartment of the Beijing Film Academy. Member of the Council of the China Film Association (2010-2020).

   He once served as Vice-President of Beijing Film Academy (1996-2006), President of Youth Film Studio (1997-2003), President of China Children's Film Association (2009-2020), President of the International Children's Film Center (CIFEJ)  of UNESCO  (2014-2018), etc.

 

● Baurzhan Shukenov, Chairman of the Expert Council of the State Center for Support of National Cinema, Kazakhstan

 

Baurzhan Shukenov, Kazakhstan

 

● Mahmadsaid Shohiyon, Head of the “Tajikfilm” film-studio, actor, producer, Awarded the Order “Sharaf” (1 degree), Tajikistan

 

Mahmadsaid Shohiyan, Tajikistan

 

   Mahmadsaid Shohiyon - director of State Enterprise “Tojikfilm”. Drama and Film Actor; lawyer; manager” in the specialty “State and Municipal Administration”.

   1989-2000 – actor of the 1st category of the Tajik Academic Drama Theater named after A. Lokhuti.

   2001-2005 – Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Television and Radio Broadcasting under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan

   2005-2009 – Director of TV Safina; which today is the fruit of the independence of the Republic of Tajikistan, a tribune for the intellectuals in the field of education, culture and art.

   2011-2013 – Head of the Department of Culture of the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan;

   2013-2015 – First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tajikistan;

   2015-2020 – Chairman of the Committee of Television and Radio Broadcasting under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan;

   From 2020 up to date, Director of State Enterprise “Tojikfilm”,

   Among his awards:  Order “Sharaf” (1 degree);

 

● Andrei Zaitsev, screenwriter, director, producer, laureate of Moscow IFF, Russia

 

Andrei Zaitsev, Russia

 

Zaitsev Andrei was born in 1975. Screenwriter, director, producer.

Member of the Board of the Union of Cinematographers of the Russian Federation.

Winner of more than 40 international and Russian film festivals.

Four-time winner of the Golden Eagle national film award, including the Grand Prix for the best film of 2020.

Winner of the Grand Prix of the 42nd Moscow International Film Festival.

He was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 2nd Class, and the 2012 Russian Government Prize in the Field of Culture.

 

● Rouhollah Hosseini, Writer, poet, University Professor and Director of the Fajr International Film Festival, Iran

 

Rouhollah Hosseini, Iran

 

   Rouhollah Hosseini is an Iranian film scholar, cultural strategist, and professor at the University of Tehran. His work focuses on French studies, cultural diplomacy, and the future of cinema, with particular emphasis on fostering dialogue between Iranian cinema and the international community.

   He is the Founder of the National Film School of Iran and the director of 43rd Fajr International Film Festival.

   Throughout his career, he has worked closely with filmmakers, festivals, universities, and cultural institutions to strengthen global exchanges through cinema.

   Alongside his work in the film industry, Hosseini teaches Comparative Literature and Contemporary French Art at the University of Tehran. He is the author of several books spanning literary criticism, fiction, and poetry. He has also published numerous articles on cinema, literature, and intercultural relations and is a frequent speaker at international conferences.

 

Press-release here