On October 23rd, the prestigious Charlie Chaplin international award ceremony took place in Tashkent. This award in the field of cinematic art was established in 1972 by the Lincoln Center Film Society in New York and is presented to outstanding directors and actors for their significant contribution to the development of world cinema. Charlie Chaplin himself was the first recipient of the award. Names associated with him include Alfred Hitchcock, Federico Fellini, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman, and George Clooney.
Recently, such grand events have been held outside the United States. This year, the event took place at the Palace of International Forums in Tashkent and focused on recognizing the achievements of Central Asian and Caucasian countries in the fields of cinema and television.
The program began with a press conference, where the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Ozodbek Nazarbekov, the Director of the Cinematography Agency, Jahangir Akhmedov, and Charlie Chaplin's granddaughter, actress and entrepreneur Kiara Chaplin, answered journalists' questions. Ozodbek Nazarbekov emphasized that the Silk Road has traditionally served as a link between East and West, through which not only goods but also ideas, scientific discoveries, works of art, and cultural traditions spread. He noted that today the Silk Road functions as an important platform for cultural enlightenment, uniting the past and the future, and that the dialogue arising from cinema lays the foundation for joint creative projects.
Kiara Chaplin agreed with the idea of boundless talent. She shared that her grandfather created silent films and continued to work in the old format even after the advent of sound to demonstrate the equality of all before cinema, regardless of nationality. It is extremely important to her to preserve this legacy and promote her grandfather's ideas, and she expressed joy at holding the awards ceremony in a country with such a rich culture as Uzbekistan.
During the event, the Chaplin Awards were presented in collaboration with Hollywood Reporter. Kiara Chaplin presented the 'Golden Cane' award to Russian actress Leonela Manturova for skillfully embodying strong female characters in historical films. Additionally, the Uzbek film director Shukhrat Abbasov was posthumously honored; his son, Eldjon Abbasov, accepted the award on his behalf. Eldjon Abbasov thanked the organizers and the Charles Spencer Chaplin Foundation, noting that his father's memory lives on. He recounted that his father's love for Chaplin's creativity arose after watching 'City Lights' at a young age, and this love lasted throughout his life because Chaplin's films conveyed the main message of faith in good.
The editorial team of The Hollywood Reporter also recognized Boris Khanchalan in the Featured Producer category, and Alina Zinnatulina, a Russian media manager and general producer of the film 'Homeland of Champions: Islam Makhachev', presented the film on stage. To conclude the program, the local production film 'Haqqim bor' ('I Have the Right') was shown, premiering in Uzbekistan in 2025. This film addresses the theme of dreams and aspirations of children facing violence, subtly showing their desire to gain social support and a place in society. The event was held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan.