On 11 March, Turkmenistan hosted a coordination meeting of the jury of the Interstate Television Film Competition ‘The Flight of the Horse: Strength and Grace’, dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The event took place within the framework of the country’s chairmanship of the CIS, according to the IIC.

The meeting was attended by Annasahet Kakayev, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Television, Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography, and S. Bayramov, Deputy Chairman of the Oguzhan ‘Türkmenfilm’ Association.

The name of the competition is symbolic: the Ahal-Teke horse, a national treasure of Turkmenistan, embodies nobility, endurance and continuity of traditions, and also serves as a symbol of strengthening cultural dialogue between the CIS countries.

The main goal of the competition is to develop humanitarian cooperation and promote the national cinema of the participating countries. The submission of entries began in February, and the final award ceremony is scheduled for October 2026 in the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone.

The jury is made up of leading representatives of the film industry, art historians and horse breeding experts from the CIS countries. The Turkmen side is represented by the Deputy Chairman of ‘Türkmenfilm’, Bayramov, and the Rector of the Aba Annayev International Equestrian Academy, the Head of the ‘Galkynysh’ group, Pygy Bayramdurdyev. This composition ensures the evaluation of both the artistic value of the films and the accuracy of the portrayal of the horse.

During the online meeting, the jury agreed on the selection criteria and technical aspects of cooperation. The organisers emphasised that the competition will become an authoritative platform for the exchange of experience between screen masters, discovering new names in documentary and feature films and strengthening professional ties in the CIS media space.