The film “Furugh” by young Tajik filmmaker Odina Mahmad has received the award fin "Best Director" category at the international film festival, dubbed “We”, in Russia.

The filmmaker told Asia-Plus that his film competed in this category against works from Iran and Uzbekistan.

"It would be great to adopt the USSR's experience of collaborative filmmaking.  This would allow filmmakers to share their creativity with the whole world," Odina Mahmad noted.

The We International Youth Film Festival took place at the Russian House of Cinema from November 26 to 29.  Out of 350 applications, 63 films from various countries were selected for participation.

Earlier in October, “Furugh” won two awards: it was recognized as the best debut film at the national film festival Toji Somon in Dushanbe and also received an award at the 20th International Festival of Amateur and Professional Films Young Cinema Age.

The film tells the story of a girl with disabilities (deaf and mute) who is deeply affected by the sudden death of her mother.

The shooting and editing of Furugh lasted eight months, with the lead role played by the 7-year-old Zulaykho.  To portray a girl with disabilities, Zulaykho took sign language lessons for two months.

According to the filmmaker, the initial plan was to cast a girl with real disabilities in the lead role.  However, due to challenges associated with the filming process, this idea was abandoned.

Currently, Odina Mahmad is continuing to develop his craft and is working on two new feature film projects for which he is seeking funding.

This year, he also made two international trips to enhance his professional skills and exchange experiences with directors from other countries.

In recent years, Tajik filmmakers have been increasingly focusing on creating short films, as their production requires fewer resources.