Documentary on Uzbekistan’s first pilot enters BAFTA race

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (MNTV) — An Uzbek documentary celebrating the country’s first aviator has been selected for competition in London and could become the first film from Uzbekistan ever nominated for a BAFTA award.

According to the independent outlet UZ Daily, the film Taymetov. Herald of Victory was produced at the initiative of Uzbekistan Airports and is now under consideration for one of the categories at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. 

The BAFTAs are among the world’s most prestigious honors in cinema and often regarded as a bellwether for the Oscars.

Directed around archival material, the film tells the story of Abdusamat Taymetov, the country’s first military and civil pilot, who flew missions during World War II before later serving as the founding director of Tashkent Airport. 

Uzbekistan Airports said the project aims to honor “heroes whom history has almost forgotten” by bringing their contributions to an international audience.

The documentary has already earned critical recognition at several festivals, including Best Debut at the Golden Knight International Film Forum, the Press Prize at Eurasia-Kinofest, and a diploma at the Dialogue of Cultures forum. 

It premiered earlier this year in Moscow and will next compete in the main program of the London Independent International Film Festival, scheduled for November 20–27 at the Piccadilly Vue Cinema.

If shortlisted by the British Academy, Taymetov. Herald of Victory would mark a milestone for Uzbekistan’s emerging film industry, which has long sought greater visibility on the global stage.

For filmmakers in Tashkent, the potential BAFTA nod is not only about artistic acclaim but also about positioning Uzbek cinema in the international cultural landscape.