Opponent in Film Festival Discussion: I'm Against Financing Culture Based on Leftovers Principle (on a 450 million tenge festival)

In a four-month-long open competition, the Vice-Minister of Culture and Sport, Nurkissa Daueshov, has announced that Kazakhstan will be hosting the Eurasia Film Festival. Despite the festival's cost of 450 million tenge, Minister Daulet Abayev considers it beneficial to the cultural sphere.

The expenses for the festival have been halved from their previous amount, with Minister Daulet Abayev refusing to increase them any further. This reduction in cost has been achieved while maintaining compliance with the rules of state procurement.

The International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) has granted the accreditation for the Eurasia Film Festival, a testament to its credibility in the international film community. However, Minister Daulet Abayev continues to face criticism regarding the festival's funding and necessity.

Some people argue that the funds for the Eurasia Film Festival could be spent on more useful things. Minister Daulet Abayev, on the other hand, emphasizes the significant benefits that large cultural events like this bring to the cultural sphere, a claim he has made consistently on Facebook.

In a recent Facebook post, Minister Daulet Abayev also emphasized the potential loss of accreditation from the international association of film producers if the Eurasia Film Festival is not consistently held. He believes this could have severe consequences for Kazakhstan's cultural sphere.

Despite these concerns, it is worth noting that the cost of hosting the Eurasia Film Festival has significantly decreased from its past price of 900 million tenge. This reduction in cost, coupled with the festival's international recognition, suggests that the benefits it brings may outweigh the costs.

However, the debate surrounding the Eurasia Film Festival's funding and necessity continues, with Minister Daulet Abayev reiterating his opposition to funding culture on a residual basis. This stance, along with the festival's cost and potential benefits, will undoubtedly be topics of discussion in the coming months.