The competition lineup includes O Profeta (Mozambique), Dear Stranger (Japan, Taiwan, USA), Panda (Singapore, China, Hong Kong), Tekenchu the Rite of the Nahuals (Mexico), Master Bantoo (India), The Muralist (Mongolia), Black Rabbit, White Rabbit (Tajikistan, Iran, UAE), Beachcomber (Greece), and Lali (Pakistan).
Russia will be represented by two films from Yakut filmmakers: Penthouse, directed by Stepan Burnashev, and Transparent Lands, directed by Dmitry Davydov.
The competition program was curated by film critic and Programming Director of the 9th Yakutsk International Film Festival, Sergey Anashkin. The selection focuses on two central themes: the search for identity and intercultural dialogue.
"The central theme is the search for identity, or finding oneself, and cross-cultural interaction. Put simply, it is about how people from different cultures interact with one another. Sometimes these encounters are positive, with people learning from each other. Sometimes they lead to conflict and disagreement. The entire program is built around these experiences," Sergey Anashkin explained.
According to Anashkin, particular attention was given to films by emerging directors from countries of the Global South. The lineup includes works that have been presented at international film festivals in Berlin, Rotterdam, Tallinn, and Busan. Most of the international competition titles will make their Russian film festival debuts in Yakutsk.
Competition screenings will take place from November 5 to 7 at the Aviator Hall of the Yuri Gagarin Center for Culture and Contemporary Art.
November 5
The competition opens with O Profeta at 9:30 AM, followed by Dear Stranger at 11:25 AM and Panda at 2:10 PM.
November 6
At 9:30 AM, audiences will see Penthouse, presented by director Stepan Burnashev. At 11:40 AM, Tekenchu the Rite of the Nahuals will be screened in the presence of director Carlos Matienzo. At 3:00 PM, producer Jyotsana Rajpurohit will present Master Bantoo, followed by The Muralist at 5:25 PM, introduced by director Sengedorj Janchivdorj.
November 7
The day's screenings begin with Black Rabbit, White Rabbit at 9:00 AM, followed by Beachcomber at 11:45 AM. At 2:00 PM, Transparent Lands will be presented by cinematographer Alexander Krasnovsky. The competition program concludes with Lali at 3:50 PM.
All screening times are local Yakutsk time.
The 9th Yakutsk International Film Festival will take place in Yakutsk from November 4 to 9, 2026. The event is supported by a subsidy provided by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
The festival aims to support the development of regional cinema, strengthen international cultural dialogue, and promote Yakut cinema both in Russia and internationally.
