The 4th International Festival ‘Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art 2024,’ organized by the British non-profit organization Eurasian Creative Guild (London), was held in the city of Shchuchinsk and the village of Burabay in Kazakhstan’s Borovoye resort area on September 15-18. The event brought together more than 50 poets, prose writers, artists, musicians, and filmmakers from 15 countries: Kazakhstan, Great Britain, USA, Ukraine, Lithuania, Israel, Russia, Finland, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Canada, UAE, and Belarus.
The festival started with a screening of films of contestants of the Burabay International Short Film Festival (BISFF).
The literary marathon “Voices of Eurasia” united all participants, where the finalists of the “Open Eurasia” and “Voices of Friends” competitions presented their works online and offline.
The opening of the “Voices of Friends” festival was held together with the award ceremony of the BISFF film festival. The ceremony was addressed by Silk Road Media holding advisor Taina Kaunis and Eurasian Creative Guild Vice-Chairman Marat Akhmedjanov.
The BISFF film festival winners:
BEST SHORT FILM 2024 Nomination – As Easy As Closing Your Eyes, directed by Parker Croft (USA)
BEST SOCIAL DRAMA 2024 Nomination – Connection (Bailanysh), directed by Jandos Djoldoshov (Kyrgyzstan)
BEST DOCUMENTARY 2024 Nomination – The Saviouress The Mystery Of A Buddhist Icon, directed by Anna Koryakovtseva (Russia)
BEST ANIMATION 2024 Nomination – The Forest Of The Honey Bees, directed by Erwan Le Gal (France).
The festival also featured Taina Kaunis’ master classes “Plan for the transition from creativity to creative business,” a presentation of books by the Hertfordshire Press publishing house, and a round table “Horizons for the development of the tourism business”.
On September 18, presentations of last year’s winners’ books were held, as well as a charity evening and awards ceremony for the winners of “IV Voices of Friends” in the categories of “Poetry”, “Visual Arts”, “Children’s Prose”, “Non-fiction,” and “Prose”.
During the 4 days of the festival, more than 500 guests visited “Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art”.
