Today, October 2, the Belarusian State Academy of Arts (BSAA) hosted the results of the youth competition held as part of the 10th "Eurasia.DOC" International Documentary Film Festival of CIS Countries. The day’s program featured screenings of videos by the 14 finalists followed by the awards ceremony.
This major forum traditionally brings together talented filmmakers to showcase profound works about significant historical and contemporary events. One of the standout films was "BNTU Remembers: Keeping the Memory in Our Hearts" (a story about the project's creation was previously published on the website). The film was directed by Yaroslav Bazhko, a specialist at the Faculty of International Cooperation and a BNTU alumnus.
Irina Driga, Head of the Cinematography Department at the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus, presented the university representative with a special diploma "For Preserving Traditional Values." Before the presentation, she highlighted the festival's significance and explained the jury's choice. She noted that for the Ministry of Culture, the forum serves not merely as a screening venue but as a genuine spiritual community.
"Patriotic documentary cinema conveys love for one's homeland, family, culture, and history—values that are incredibly important. The festival unites people and fosters new talent in the film industry. Our special diploma is titled 'For Preserving Traditional Values,' and all the winning films resonate deeply with that theme. They are about traditions, the homeland, and love," emphasized Irina Driga. Yaroslav Bazhko took the stage to receive the honorary award and addressed the audience with words of appreciation. He emphasized the importance of teamwork and the strong support provided by the university:
"A large team, led by the university administration, came to support me—it is truly gratifying and means a great deal. I am grateful to BNTU for the opportunity to share my creative work. Students have been carrying out this project for over five years, and both the concept and its execution are entirely student-driven. We are technical students, not professionals, yet the result is of high quality. I am confident that we will keep going and continue to surprise everyone!"
Such high international recognition is a source of great pride and a wonderful incentive to produce more outstanding films. Congratulations to Yaroslav Bazhko on his well-deserved award!
