Kevin Spacey, Alexander Sokurov, Krzysztof Zanussi traveled from Tashkent to Samarkand

The XV Tashkent International Film Festival ended in Samarkand. Guests and participants went there, including Kevin Spacey, French actor Sami Naceri, directors Krzysztof Zanussi, Semiha Kaplanoglu, Emir Kusturica, Alexander Sokurov… Each of them dreamed of seeing not only the “eternal city”, built several centuries ago, but also its likeness, invented by Uzbek artist Bobur Ismoilov. Now filmmakers make films there.

Only the drone flying by with a buzz during the awards ceremony reminded us of the world we live in.

Soviet director Ali Khamraev, who is called a living legend of Uzbek cinema, filmed the film “The Scent of Melon in Samarkand” here. “I was born in Tashkent, but I love Samarkand,” he says. — I filmed my film here. We worked from morning to night. It was really hot. We filmed ordinary people. All doors and gates were open. They brought us tea, cakes, treated us to pilaf, and we filmed with great love for this city. Mahalla is a quarter, a system of streets and courtyards where everyone lives together, holds weddings, and sees off loved ones on their last journey. There is a communal teahouse with enough dishes for 500 people. Old and young people gather there, helping each other in word and deed. People always want to experience life in theater and cinema. Joyful and sad moments of your relatives and neighbors. We tried in our film to show the soul of the amazing people living in Samarkand. And here live Uzbeks, Tajiks, Arabs, Armenians, Russians, Gypsies… I received various prizes, but the prize from Samarkand residents is especially dear.” And he wasn’t the only one. Ali Khamraev was also noted for directing the jury of the national competition. He told how highly Tarkovsky appreciated the talent of the aspiring director Alexander Sokurov, and asked him to remember his name. Sokurov rarely attends festivals, but he presented his new film “Fairy Tale” in Tashkent and received an award in Samarkand for his contribution to world cinema.

The course was taken for young film students. World cinema stars gave them 60 master classes. At the same time, the older generation was showered with awards and received as gods. A few minutes before the closing ceremony, I managed to talk with the outstanding Georgian screenwriter Irakli Kvirikadze, who was also noted for his contribution to cinema. He was born in Georgia, lived in the USA, France, Germany, then in Moscow, remaining a man of the world. Eventually he returned to his homeland.

— How do you live, what do you do?

– I became a graphomaniac. I write prose. I’m finishing a book about winemaking in Georgia. This is not a documentary narrative, but fiction.

– How is your son?

– He is ten years old. He paints large canvases on canvas with acrylic, does graphics, and exhibits around the world.

– Mom probably worked with him? She’s an artist.

“He imitated his mother, and then he found his own style and no longer listened to what she told him, he stuck to his line. This is the character.

— I remember how charming he is in the film your wife shot in India.

“It was removed in four days.” Good picture. It was four years ago, on my 80th birthday.

– Where do you live now?

– In Tbilisi. In recent years I have taught in Moscow at the Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Directors, but I have not taught for three years. I had a hard time getting through the last generation, which I don’t understand at all. They watch all lectures on gadgets. You tell them about Godard, but they don’t care. They don’t know who he is and they don’t want to know. I am amazed. It’s difficult for everyone right now. There is a stamp of confusion on everyone – on the forehead, in the soul – or frenzy. But it is better not to enter into this conversation. I am glad that I came to Samarkand, which reminded me of my youth, how I came here, how I was friends with many people. I was a member of the jury at the festival; the youth were surprised with wonderful films. The main thing is that we are all alive and creating (Irakli suffered Covid very hard, the forecasts were disappointing, but by some miracle he overcame the disease. — S.H.).

The classic of Polish cinema Krzysztof Zanussi headed the jury of the Central Asian film competition. He has been to Russia more than once, speaks excellent Russian and several other languages. Our conversation took place on the move, a few minutes before the final ceremony.

– What do you do?

— I finished a new picture “Perfect Number” about mathematics and about God. Now I go with her to different festivals. This is a long-standing idea. I planned to film it with Bogdan Stupka, but didn’t have time. Two weeks ago I finished working on a new television script. So I’m still alive, still working.

— Do you continue to teach at your film school?

– Yes, I continue to do this. Young guys come from all over the world. It’s not so easy for them to get there now after the pandemic break. They have changed and become even more confused. Like all of us. Like the whole world.

Krzysztof Zanussi presented a special prize to the film “Educating Ademoka” by Kazakh director Adilkhan Erzhanov. This is a fabulous story about the life of a talented young migrant.

Alexey Uchitel arrived with his student, aspiring director Sofia Meledina, and their lovely and nimble daughter Nina. She is two and a half years old, and he named her Alexey in honor of his mother. He once made films in Fergana, and now he came to the festival to give a master class and take a closer look. He wants to film one of the episodes of his new film about Shostakovich (also a long-standing idea) in Uzbekistan.

The festival Grand Prix was awarded to the talented Uzbek director Shokir Khalikov for the film “Sunday,” which already has the main award at the Shanghai Film Festival. The film tells about Uzbek old people who have experienced all the delights of modern life and are experiencing a conflict between fathers and children. The award was presented to him by Emir Kusturica. Samarkand shocked him. He kept talking about Tamerlane (Emir Timur), who is called the Great Emir. Perhaps the similarity of the name made a special impression on the impressionable Kusturica. “I’m glad to see what Timur did,” he said. “I saw beauty in Samarkand that I had never seen in my life. I want to thank Timur for being born here. And this festival is one of the triumphs of Emir Timur himself.” Promising that “it will be hot,” the restless Emir sang with his orchestra all evening. In the near future he will film the novel “Laurel” by Evgeny Vodolazkin and on this occasion will meet with its author.