Present Film Festival is dedicated to the famous Tajik film director Bakhtiyor Khudoynazarov who passed away in April 2015, and the opening of the Festival has started with the film screening of his film “Bratan” (Bro).

This year Tajikistan will be represented by two full-length films at the festival “Mushkilkusho” (Breakthrough) of Umed Mirzoshirinov and “Monkey’s dream” of Rumi Shoazimom, and one short-length film “Situation” of Dilovar Sultonov. Also two Tajik comedy films “Modern bride-2” and “Air Safar” will be shown in the frame of the Festival.

During the opening ceremony Regina Gujan, a representative of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan remarked: “Switzerland very much appreciates what is happening “around the Festival”, in particular the possibility for filmmakers and other professionals of the film industry – young and old – to engage, share their experiences, and enrich their knowledge”.

In the framework of the project “Echo Didor” best motion films of the Festival will be shown in Khujand, Khorog, Asht, Isfara, Kulob and  Danghara districts . The overall goal of the Echo program is to facilitate exchange and dialogue amongst cinematographers and film directors, as well as to bring films closer to film lovers  all of the four corners of the country.

As a co-founder of the first event back in 2004, it has become a good tradition for Switzerland to be closely linked to the Festival and to contribute this way to set Tajikistan on the map of international film festivals.

International Film Festival

During the conversation with the medical staff and villagers they uttered that: “Previously we didn’t have a medical centre and were forced to go to the Jaylghan village, which is 5 km far from our village.  Patients’ check-up and treatment were conducted in-house.  Obviously the quality of the services was not up to the required standards given the lack of the appropriate conditions and facilities.  Especially, during the long winter it was tremendously difficult for the village inhabitants to receive a necessary quality medical service, as the roads are often closed and people had to travel another 15 kilometres in detour to reach the hospital.  Parents had to travel long distances to have their children vaccinated wasting much of time and money .“ 

For eight consecutive years, Medical Centre in the village was given first priority in the meetings of Village Organisation’s and Village Development Plan (VDP) and for some reason was not addressed.  Fortunately, in 2015, this village were selected and prioritised by the Local Government and Aga Khan Health Service (AKHS) for new construction. The Medical Centre was constructed and fully equipped and was opened in September 2015 for operation.

This is a great gift to the inhabitants of the village, which enables improvements of the quality of the medical services. Timely and quality provision of these services, especially support to the young mothers, is among many benefits that the establishment of Medical Centres brought to the village. Besides, one nurse from this Medical Centre passed six month Family Medicine course in Rasht Family Medicine Training Centre (RFMTC).

Nowadays, even in the severe cold winter, the Medical Centre does not cease its operation and provides services with no difficulty to the inhabitants.