- International Festival Celebrates Poetry and Visual Arts in Kazakhstan
BURBAY,Kazakhstan. 01 OCT/Correspondent/ — From September 15 to 18, 2024, the scenic Burabay National Park in Kazakhstan was the venue for the fourth international festival of poetry and visual arts, “Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art.” The event was a vibrant celebration of creativity, featuring the thirteenth Open Eurasian Literary Festival and Book Forum, the III Burabay International Short Film Festival (BISFF), the inaugural Future Cinema youth film festival, and the Discovery Travel Forum, which highlighted creative industries in tourism.
The festival was organized by the British non-profit organization Eurasian Creative Guild (London) with the support of the Higher Pedagogical College of Shchuchinsk and the participation of Wyndham Garden Burabay, Dom U Ozera, Skala and SunRise hotels.
This year’s important event brought together more than 50 poets, novelists, artists, musicians and filmmakers from 15 countries: Kazakhstan, UK, USA, Ukraine, Lithuania, Israel, Russia, Finland, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Canada, UAE and Belarus.
The festival program started in Burabai village, on the site of eco-hotel Skala. On Saturday, September 14, there was an introductory meeting for the festival participants, where the guests could learn more about the rich program of the festival period.
On 15 September ‘Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art’ started at the Higher Pedagogical College in Shchuchinsk with a screening of youth films Cinema Future, films were shown: The Ghost of ‘Queen Mary’ (USA), Being 22 (Iran), BEYNE (Kazakhstan), Yes, we are different (Kazakhstan), Next Time (Lithuania), In Search of Hidden Beauty: Kutaisi-Tbilisi (Canada), Please. We are worried ( Kazakhstan), Spelling Surprise (Israel), Fair Crime (Kazakhstan), My AcroEvolution (Russia). The event was addressed by the founders of the festival: Saltanat Khamzeyeva, Valeriya Strekalovskaya and Luidmila Voevodina, as well as young filmmakers: Ray Art and the “Together” team.
Yussuf Krykbesov together with Elena Tsygvintseva gave a presentation of the local creative community ‘Burabay’.
The inaugural day of the festival was a particularly busy one, with three events taking place concurrently in 3 different halls in the afternoon. The participants will be able to look back on a memorable experience of the magic of poetry with Maria Muchynskaya and Komil Sindarov, an immersion into the world of fairy tales with Elena Makarova, a journey into autism with Olga Shpakovich and a game-technical presentation by ECG Guardian Saltanat Khamzeyeva for a long time to come.
The BISFF screenings showcased the talents of Burabay International Film Festival contestants, offering the audience a fresh perspective. The festival received over 80 submissions, with two notable films, “In Search of Healing Water: Chunja-Burabay-Dushanbe” by Al Art and “Teacher on Stage” by Alen Adilbekov, being presented.
Aida Reger, Valeriya Strekalovskaya, Elena Makarova, Maria Muchinskaya, Olga Shpakovich, Saltanat Khamzeyeva, Tatyana Linchik, Alex Arlev, Anna Garib, Indira Laktaeva, Mikhail Ananov, Roza Red and Shaizada Baikenova presented their online and offline creative work.
The official opening of the ‘Voices of Friends’ festival was held in conjunction with the award ceremony of the BISFF film festival. Taina Kaunis, advisor of Silk Road Media Holding, and Marat Akhmedjanov, vice-chairman of ECG, made speeches. Gulbakhyt Smailova, director of the correctional institution ‘Dambo’, presented a gift. The concert programme was performed by talented artists of Shchuchinsk Kirill Doroshkevich and Arina Romanova.
BISFF Film Festival Winners:
BEST SHORT FILM 2024 – As Easy As Closing Your Eyes, directed by Parker Croft (USA)
BEST SOCIAL DRAMA 2024 – Connection (Bailanysh), directed by Zhandos Dzholdoshov (Jandos Djoldoshov) Kyrgyzstan
BEST DOCUMENTARY 2024 – The Saviouress The Mystery Of A Buddhist Icon, directed by Anna Koryakovtseva (Russia)
BEST ANIMATION 2024 – The Forest Of The Honey Bees, directed by Erwan Le Gal (France)
Special prizes:
The certificate for the best demonstration of Burabaya’s cultural and historical heritage was awarded to ‘In Search of Healing Water: Chunja-Burabay-Dushanbe’, the award went to Al Art. Aizhan Art, and was presented by Natalie Bays, founder of the Romford Film Festival.
A certificate in recognition of an outstanding demonstration of female destiny was awarded to the film ‘Teacher on Stage’, the award was presented to Alena Adilbekov by directors Timur Akhmedjanov and Carrie Kendall.
And later there was a zoom presentation of Nina Yagolnitzer’s work ‘Our Ridiculous Enchanters’. The inclusion was from Israel, bringing together online and offline participants.
16 September started at the ECG Horizons art residence with master classes by Taina Kaunis ‘Transition Plan from Creativity to Creative Business: Practice’. The participants got acquainted with the residence of the Eurasian Creative Guild, gained valuable knowledge and enjoyed a photo shoot from British photographer Hannah Davis. Hannah captured the participants and the beautiful autumn in the vicinity of Burabay with her lens.
Then the guests moved to the cosy boutique hotel House by the Lake. Here there was a bright presentation of books by Hertfordshire Press, which attracted the attention of all lovers of literature, round table ‘Horizons of tourism business development’, which became a source of interesting thoughts and new ideas.
The speech of ECG curator Alexander Kazarnovsky with his work ‘Year 5784’ provoked a discussion among all present.
The evening continued with a literary salon with a tasting of Austrian wine from Nast, presented to the Guild by ECG ambassador Christian Gessl.
Sommelier and general manager of the hotel, Artem Volsky, created an unforgettable experience by telling and showing everyone how to actually enjoy wine properly.
The evening ended with the showing of online greetings from the new Guild Keeper Olga Igumnova and Vladlen Podolyan, a Guild member from Armenia.
The highlight of the day was the presentation of the Barbara Nawrocka Medal. The highlight of the day was the presentation of the Barbara Nawrocka-Jurkowska Medal to the Rector of Angren University, Komil Sindarov, after a welcoming speech from ECG Chairman Marta Brassart
The 17th of September started with the presentation of the Chair of the new Junior Guild Expert Council – Paulina Geible-Kravts, Miss Paulina together with Professor Froggy presented the new issue of the magazine written by and for children.
Next was the presentation of poetess Raushan Nukenova-Burkitaeva. She told about her rich experience and read poems, leaving no one indifferent.
The evening part of the festival was dedicated to the celebration of the Jubilee of the future – the Jewish national tradition of Sukkot: a member of the Guardian from Israel, Alexander Kazarnovsky, immersed everyone in an incredible atmosphere.
The day ended with an auction of unique items donated by members of the ECG Horizons Art Residence Guild, which aroused positive emotions among the participants and gave them unforgettable impressions and memorable souvenirs.
On 18 September at the Wyndham Garden Burabay Hotel, participants enjoyed the Burabay region and walked along the lakeshore through a film by British filmmaker Carrie Kendall. It is not the first year Kendall comes to the festival ‘Voices of Friends’ Having collected materials for 2 years she edited and showed a film about Borovoe.
After that the participants could get acquainted with the work of the author from Belarus Alexandra Balzhak.
Then there were presentations of the books of last year’s laureates. It all started with a colourful meeting with the talented satirist Marsel Salimov from Bashkortostan, who presented his new book ‘With a smile around the world’. Marsel Salimov’s 75th birthday was celebrated at the festival, and he was awarded a medal of honour from Bakhyt Rustemov, co-founder of the international foundation ‘Centre for People’s Diplomacy of the Republic of Kazakhstan’.
As if opening new worlds, Marina Alyasova’s book ‘Wise fairy tales for children and adults’ was presented. This amazing journey into the world of literature ended with a meeting with poet Nurlan Toksanov and his book ‘24 Signs of the Zodiac’.
The culminating moment was the charity evening. Olesya Baimova, a deputy of Burabay district Maslikhat, and Gulnaz Negmejanova, head of sales and marketing department of Wyndham Garden Burabay Hotel, made a welcoming speech. Foreign guests were able to immerse themselves in the Kazakh national colour thanks to the performance of Folklore instrumental ensemble ‘Ұлы dala’ of Burabay district House of Culture, leader Riza Satybaldinova, organised with the support of the head of the Department of Culture and Language Development of Burabay district Dina Karsybaeva.
Then there was a presentation of a medal named after Jonathan Fryer. Jonathan Fryer Medal. The medal was awarded for the contribution to the development and promotion of cultural projects of Eurasian countries at the international level. To the medal were attached:
Shavkat Ismailov
Raushan Burkitbayeva-Nukenova
Marina Alyasova
Elena Soboleva
Alexander Kazarnovsky
Gennady Gorovoy
Bakhtygul Makhanbetova
The winners of the competitions were announced. It all started with the Cinema Future film festival.
Winners in the age group 11-13 years old
1st place ‘Yes, we are different’ (Kazakhstan)
2 place ‘Next Time’ (Lithuania)
Winners in the age group 14-22 years old
1st place ‘The Phantom of the Queen Mary’ (USA)
2nd place ‘Being 22’ (Iran)
3 place ‘BEYNE’ (Kazakhstan)
Best Cinematography – Ray Art, ‘In Search of Hidden Beauty’ (Canada)
Best Director – ‘Please. We are worried’ ( Kazakhstan)
Best Actor – Noam Minkin (Israel), the film ‘Spelling Surprise’.
Audience Award – ‘Fair Crime’ (Kazakhstan)
Winners of ‘IV Voices of Friends’
The Audience Award was won by Maria Muchinskaya.
Poetry’ category
1st place Mikhail Ananov (Georgia)
2nd place Anetta Mor (UK) and Nadia Roth (Germany)
3rd place Indira Laktaeva (USA).
Visual Arts category
1st place Shaizada Baikenova (Kazakhstan)
2nd place Marina Yanovskaya and Anastasia Kalinovskaya (UK)
3rd place Rosa Red (Russia) and Olesya Davidovskaya (Lithuania)
Winners of ‘XIII Open Eurasia’
Children’s Prose category (Maria Shevel Prize)
1st place Irina Gurkova (Russia) and Elena Makarova (Uzbekistan)
2nd place Nina Yagolnitser (Israel)
3rd place Valeria Strekalovskaya (Ukraine)
Non-Fiction category
1st place Tatiana Linchik (Russia)
2nd place Olga Shpakovich (Russia)
3rd place Alex Arlev (USA)
Prose’ category
1st place Anna Garib (UK)
2nd place Saltanat Khamzeyeva (Kazakhstan)
3rd place Afina Abduldaeva (Kyrgyzstan) and Aida Reger (Kazakhstan)
Following the announcement of the results, ECG co-funder Anna Lari extended an invitation to all interested parties to participate in the new Open Eurasia competition. Entries are being accepted in 15 languages. In addition to being showcased as part of the competition, an excerpt of each participant’s work will be published in the pages of the British anthology of the same name, Open Eurasia.
The event was a resounding success, with all participants and visitors expressing delight and positive impressions. The distinctive fusion of poetry, visual arts, literature and cinema made a lasting impression on all who participated. The festival participants, representing a variety of cultural traditions from 15 different countries, were able to establish a common ground and provide the audience with a distinctive experience of immersion in art and creativity.
Over the course of the four-day festival, more than 500 guests visited the ‘Voices of Friends’ event. The organisers would like to thank all participants, partners and sponsors for their support and contribution to the success of the event. This meeting will provide a valuable stimulus for further development of cultural exchange and co-operation between the participants and their countries.
The Vice Chairman of the Guild, Marat Akhmedjanov, extended an invitation to participate in the next Guild Festival, which will be held from 28 to 30 November in Scotland..
