Overview
The Dushanbe International Film Festival "Toji Somon" (Crown of Somon) is Tajikistan's primary international film festival. First held in October 2023, it operates biennially under the personal patronage of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon. The festival is organized by the state institution Tojikfilm with support from the Government of Tajikistan and timed to coincide with Tajik Cinema Day, celebrated annually on October 16.
The third edition is scheduled for October 15 to 20, 2026, marking the 35th anniversary of Tajikistan's independence. The 2026 theme is "Celebrating True Art." The second edition, held October 15 to 20, 2025, screened more than 40 films from 15 countries under the theme "The History of the Development of the Tajik People."
The festival is part of the Cinema Development Programme of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2023 to 2027, a state-backed initiative to strengthen the national film industry, support young creative talent, and expand international cooperation in filmmaking. Submissions for the 2026 edition open June 15 and close September 15, via the official website at tojisomon.tj.
Key Sections
- Feature Film Competition - competitive selection of full-length fiction films from participating countries
- Short Film Competition - competitive selection of short films
- Film Project Pitching - open call for fiction, documentary, and animation projects in development or pre-production from directors and producers based in Tajikistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, China, Turkey, India, Iran, and Pakistan
- Country Focus Days - dedicated screening programs for cinema from specific countries (the 2025 edition included Iranian, Russian, and Kyrgyz Cinema Days)
- Regional Screenings - competition films also screened in Sughd, Khatlon, and the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO)
Submission Details
- Submission platform: tojisomon.tj
- Submission fee: Not publicly listed; filmmakers should consult the official website for current fee structure
- 2026 submission window: June 15 to September 15, 2026
- Eligibility: Open to directors, producers, and filmmakers from Europe, Asia, and CIS countries
- Competition categories: Feature Films and Short Films
- Pitching section deadline: August 30, 2025 (for the 2025 edition); selected projects announced by September 15
- Pitching eligibility: Fiction, documentary, and animation projects in development or pre-production from 15 eligible countries (Tajikistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, China, Turkey, India, Iran, Pakistan)
- Full regulations: Available at tojisomon.tj
Major Awards
- Best Feature Film - international jury prize
- Best Short Film - international jury prize
- Prize of the Chairman of the City of Dushanbe - awarded by Rustami Emomali for outstanding contributions to cinema
- Additional jury prizes - the international jury, composed of film industry professionals from various countries, determines category awards
What Filmmakers Should Know
Toji Somon is a state-organized festival with strong government backing, which means it has institutional support and visibility within Tajikistan but operates differently from independent international festivals. The festival is biennial, so filmmakers need to plan submission timelines around its two-year cycle.
For Tajik filmmakers, this is the most important domestic platform for screening work and connecting with international visitors. For filmmakers from the 15 eligible pitching countries, the Film Project Pitching section offers a rare opportunity to present projects in development to an international audience within a state-backed framework.
The festival's geographic and cultural positioning is distinctive. Tajikistan is the only Persian-speaking nation in Central Asia (Tajik is a variety of Persian), and the festival creates connections between Central Asian, Iranian, and broader Asian cinema that few other festivals facilitate. The 2025 edition included dedicated Iranian, Russian, and Kyrgyz Cinema Days, and the competition films were screened not only in Dushanbe but also in regional cinemas across Sughd, Khatlon, and GBAO provinces.
The festival does not have an attached film market. It is not an Academy Award-qualifying festival. International industry attendance is growing but remains limited compared to established Central Asian festivals like Tashkent. Filmmakers should view Toji Somon as a regional networking and cultural exchange opportunity rather than a market or sales destination.
Screening venues in Dushanbe include the Navruz Cinema, Kayhon Cinema, and the Tahir Sobirov Cinema Theater at Tojikfilm. The closing ceremony and awards presentation take place at the Sadriddin Ayni Opera and Ballet Theater.
Festival History
The first Toji Somon International Film Festival was held October 15 to 19, 2023, in Dushanbe. The selection committee reviewed 200 submissions, approving 18 feature-length fiction films and 8 short fiction films from 16 countries including Russia, Iran, Pakistan, India, Hungary, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Canada, Turkey, China, Belarus, Moldova, France, and Tajikistan. The festival signed cooperation memoranda with Roskino (Russia), Tatarkino (Tatarstan), the National Center of Cinematography (Moldova), Azerbaijanfilm (Azerbaija), and Dovfilm and ifilm (Iran).
The second edition, held October 15 to 20, 2025, expanded to include more than 40 films from 15 countries, with special screening programs for Iranian, Russian, and Kyrgyz cinema. The closing ceremony took place at the Sadriddin Ayni Opera and Ballet Theater on October 19.
The third edition is announced for October 15 to 20, 2026, under the theme "Celebrating True Art," timed to the 35th anniversary of Tajikistan's independence.
Before Toji Somon, Dushanbe hosted the "Didor" film festival every October from 2004 to 2019. Toji Somon effectively replaced Didor as Tajikistan's primary international cinema event.
Past Winners
The Grand Prix is the top juried prize at the Toji Somon International Film Festival. The second edition (October 2025) received over 120 submissions from 20 countries, with more than 160 films screened across competition and special programs.
2025 Grand Prix - Best Feature Film: Fish on the Hook (director Muhiddin Muzaffar, Tajikistan-Iran co-production). The jury praised the film for its deep portrayal of human emotions and expressive visual language. The film also won Best Composer for Farzin Halakbar. Dovfilm, iFilm, and Tajikfilm produced the film jointly. It had its world premiere at the 30th International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience in Germany and was unveiled at the IRIB Conference Center in Tehran.
2025 Best Director: Aleksei German Jr. (Russia) for Air. This war drama about female Soviet pilots premiered at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival in October 2023. National Media Group distributed the film in Russia on January 18, 2024. It earned $5.4 million at the Russian box office on a budget of $8.5 million.
2025 Best Actor: Altanshagai Ganbaatar (Mongolia) for The Father.
2025 Best Actress: Takhmina Rajabova (Tajikistan) for Red Dream and Anastasia Talyzina (Russia) for Air (shared).
2025 Best Short Film: Evening Bell (director Saodat Kazakbaeva, Kyrgyzstan).
2025 Special Jury Prize: Citizens of the Roofs (director Gulshat Smagulova, Kazakhstan).
2025 Audience Award: The Princess (director Ivan Naniev, Moldova).
Notable Alumni Films
Films that screened or won at Toji Somon and their downstream trajectory:
- *Fish on the Hook* (2025, director Muhiddin Muzaffar) - won the Grand Prix at Toji Somon 2025. This Tajik-Iranian co-production was produced by Dovfilm, iFilm, 30Cup, and Tajikfilm. The film also received the Special Award of the Secretary at the 37th International Children and Youth Film Festival in Isfahan. iFilm TV channel handles broadcast distribution in Persian-speaking markets.
- *Air* (2023, director Aleksei German Jr.) - won Best Director at Toji Somon 2025. The film premiered at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival in competition. National Media Group Film Distribution released it theatrically in Russia on January 18, 2024. It earned $5.4 million at the box office. The film was produced by METRAFILMS, AMedia, and Channel One with a budget of $8.5 million.
Submission Tips
- Submit through tojisomon.tj, not FilmFreeway. The festival uses its own platform. Prepare materials in Tajik, Russian, or English. Simultaneous interpretation is available during the pitching session.
- Target the pitching section for co-production opportunities. The Film Project Pitching section accepts fiction, documentary, and animation projects in development or pre-production. Priority goes to projects with partial or full localization in Tajikistan.
- Films from 15 eligible countries receive pitching consideration. Tajikistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, China, Turkey, India, Iran, and Pakistan qualify. Submit by August 30 for the pitching section.
- Plan around the biennial cycle. The festival runs every two years. The third edition is scheduled for October 15 to 20, 2026. The next opportunity after 2026 will be 2028.
- Persian-language and Central Asian cultural themes align with curatorial focus. The festival emphasizes Tajik cultural identity and the history of the Tajik people. Films connecting to Persian-speaking cultures or Central Asian traditions fit the programming priorities.
- Regional screenings extend beyond Dushanbe. Competition films screen in Sughd, Khatlon, and GBAO provinces. Films with broad regional appeal reach audiences across Tajikistan, not just the capital.
Industry Reputation Notes
The industry treats Toji Somon as a regional networking and cultural exchange platform, not a market or sales destination. The festival has no attached film market and is not Academy Award-qualifying. International industry attendance is growing but remains limited.
Compared to the Tashkent International Film Festival (Uzbekistan), which has a longer history and larger international profile, Toji Somon is newer and smaller. Tashkent attracts more international industry professionals and has stronger connections to European festivals. Toji Somon offers deeper engagement with Tajik national cinema and Persian-speaking cultural networks.
Compared to the Eurasia International Film Festival (Kazakhstan), which runs an industry market and attracts European sales agents, Toji Somon lacks a market component. Eurasia functions as a Central Asian industry hub. Toji Somon functions as a cultural diplomacy event under presidential patronage.
The festival's signing of cooperation memoranda with Roskino (Russia), Tatarkino (Tatarstan), National Center of Cinematography (Moldova), Azerbaijanfilm (Azerbaijan), and Dovfilm and ifilm (Iran) at its first edition indicates its diplomatic function. These agreements focus on cultural exchange rather than commercial deals.
For Tajik filmmakers, Toji Somon is the most important domestic platform. For international filmmakers from the 15 eligible pitching countries, the pitching section offers a rare opportunity to present projects within a state-backed framework.
See Also
For festival submission strategy and budgeting, use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator. For understanding Central Asian cinema markets, see International Film Markets. For general festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.
