Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with filmmakers at Uzbekfilm: film funding has grown to 218 billion soums

Meeting at Uzbekfilm

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev is holding a meeting with filmmakers at the Uzbekfilm film studio, Zamon.uz reports. The head of state emphasized that this place embodies the history of national cinema, the work of several generations of creators, and the aspirations of the people.

Classics of national cinema

According to the president, films such as 'Mahallada Duv-duv Gap', 'O'tgan Kunlar', 'Shum Bola', 'Chinor Ostidagi Duel' and 'Suyunchi' have taken a special place in viewers' memories: frames, phrases and songs from them remind many people of their childhood, their grandparents, and their native mahalla. Mirziyoyev also noted that, despite the political and ideological pressure of their time, the creators managed to produce unique examples of national art. The studio's traditions continued during the years of independence — the films 'Abdullajon', 'Otamdan Qolgan Dalalar', 'Dilhiroj', 'Vatan' and 'Utov', beloved by audiences, were made.

Reconstruction and growing funding

The head of state recalled the state the film studio had been in ten years ago and noted that from the first days of the reforms attention was paid to its restoration and to creating decent conditions for filmmakers. According to him, the studio was fully reconstructed. Over the past ten years, two decrees and eight resolutions aimed at supporting the film sector have been adopted. If in 2016 the state budget allocated 10 billion soums for film production, then in the current year this figure reached 218 billion soums. According to the president, as a result of the work done, the significance and quality of national films have improved, and dozens of private film studios have entered the industry.

Context

The cited figures on funding and the number of regulatory acts come from the president himself during the meeting; no independent assessment of the state of the industry is provided in the publications. The reports are based on a single meeting, and details — for example, the allocation of the 218 billion soums provided — have not yet been disclosed. The more than twentyfold increase in budget support for cinema over ten years and the emergence of dozens of private studios, as stated by the head of state, directly concern the country's filmmakers and private studios: for them, this means an expansion of state commissions and of the conditions for working at the reconstructed Uzbekfilm site.