DARS Films is delighted to announce that its film series Sunrise in Uzbekistan has successfully passed the initial selection and has been included in the official programme of SILKFEST 2026, the International Tourism and Environmental Film Festival.
The series brings together three short films dedicated to Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva — three of Uzbekistan’s most celebrated historic destinations and three cities whose architecture, culture and atmosphere embody the legacy of the Silk Road.
Sunrise in Uzbekistan is a visual meditation on time, heritage and place. As the sun rises over Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, the ancient cities gradually come to life through changing light, movement and quiet human presence. The films reveal Uzbekistan’s architectural grandeur and distinctive cultural rhythm, inviting international audiences to experience the country as a journey through history, atmosphere and moments of awakening that connect past and present.
The series was produced by DARS Films for the National PR Centre of Uzbekistan as part of an international campaign promoting Uzbekistan and its regions. The films were subsequently shown to a global audience on BBC News.
International recognition for Uzbekistan’s regions
The SILKFEST recognition comes only a few weeks after Sunrise in Uzbekistan received the Silver Award — second place — in the Region Promotion category at the 2026 US International Awards in Los Angeles.
That result earned the project nine points in the official CIFFT Rankings. Sunrise in Uzbekistan is currently ranked joint sixth among the world’s best tourism films promoting regions.
Receiving international recognition at two consecutive stages of the CIFFT Circuit is especially meaningful to us. It demonstrates that stories rooted in the heritage and identity of Uzbekistan’s regions can resonate with international juries and audiences far beyond Central Asia.
About SILKFEST Festival
SILKFEST is the International Tourism and Environmental Film Festival held in Belgrade, Serbia. The 18th edition of the festival will take place from 11 to 13 September 2026.
The festival celebrates outstanding audiovisual storytelling in tourism, culture, heritage and environmental communication. Its competition brings together filmmakers, producers, destination organisations and tourism institutions from around the world.
SILKFEST is also an official stage of the CIFFT Circuit, the international competition that brings together leading tourism film festivals across Europe, Asia and the United States. Awards received at participating festivals contribute points towards the CIFFT Rankings, which determine the World’s Best Tourism Films of the Year.
Following its selection for the official SILKFEST programme, Sunrise in Uzbekistan has now been forwarded to the festival’s expert jury. The final results and award decisions are expected to be announced at the beginning of August.
We are deeply grateful to the SILKFEST selection committee and jury for appreciating our work and including Sunrise in Uzbekistan in this year’s official programme. We would also like to thank our partners in Uzbekistan for their trust and support in presenting Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva to an international audience through cinematic storytelling.
For everyone at DARS Films, this recognition is both wonderful news and an encouragement to continue creating films that allow destinations to communicate not only through landmarks and facts, but through light, emotion, atmosphere and a genuine sense of place.