The Open Eurasian Film Award Diamond Butterfly is announcing the launch of a new season. For the Pakistani film community this is an opportunity to once again become a part of an International Film Award, present its films to a professional audience, expand creative and industry ties and take part in the dialogue about the future of the cinema. Last year two films from Pakistan were included in the Diamond Butterfly Film Award competition program, and Ms. Sonya Hussyn won the Best Supporting Actress prize.
The initiator and driving force behind the creation of the film academy and the film award is Mr. Nikita Mikhalkov. The award was established by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Russian Cultural Foundation.
Pakistan has been a keen supporter of the Eurasian Film Academy and the Diamond Butterfly award since their inception. When the project was presented in Moscow in April 2025, the Pakistani delegation joined representatives from over 20 nations to discuss its future. Then Mr. Muhammad Anwar, representative of Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said: “I hope this Award can truly become an alternative to the Oscars, and that it will open a new opportunity for many countries that face injustice and discrimination, whose values remain unheard, to make themselves heard”.
Further proof of Pakistan’s interest in cooperation was the participation of a Pakistani representative in the international film session “Creativity Unites”, organized by the Russian Cultural Foundation as part of the Diamond Butterfly Award together with the international educational project Innopractice School, held at the Mikhalkov’s Academy of Cinematic and Theatrical Arts. Ten young filmmakers from eight countries took part in the creative session, including Pakistani director Mr. Mehroz Amin. The session resulted in short films created by the participants under the guidance of leading masters of Russian cinema.
The first Award Ceremony took place on November 27, 2025, in Moscow at Mr. Nikita Mikhalkov’s Workshop “12”. A total of 34 films from 17 countries, including Pakistan, were submitted for consideration.
Last year Pakistan’s entries in the Diamond Butterfly awards were “Termites”, a co‑production with Canada, and “Love Guru”, a co‑production with the United Kingdom. A special moment for Pakistan was Ms. Sonya Hussyn’s victory: she received the Diamond Butterfly for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Termites”. The Award was presented to her by actor Mr. Sergey Bezrukov. Accepting the award, she said: “On behalf of Pakistan I want to thank all the Award organizers and the Government of the Russian Federation for the generosity and warm welcome we received here. Our two countries have deep roots of interaction and a shared longing for peace. It is a great honor for me to be part of this cultural and artistic exchange. I want to dedicate this Award to all the girls and women in our country who still do not have the right to receive education, and to all the girls who want to achieve something in life”.
In 2026, the second ceremony of the Open Eurasian Film Award “Diamond Butterfly” will once again take place in Moscow.
The main goal of the Award is to remind the world of the true mission of cinema — to speak about the most important traditional human values and to carefully preserve cultural and historical national heritage. The Award’s motto is: “Any truth without love is a lie”.
The Award’s trophy is the Diamond Butterfly statuette. Each piece, designed by Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Mr. Yuri Kuper, is set with nearly 5,000 diamonds and is a true piece of art.
Winners received not only the Diamond Butterfly figurine. The recipient of the Best Film Award was also presented with a Yakut diamond worth the equivalent of 1 million USD. Winners in the categories of Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Composer, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Production Designer, Best Non-Eurasian Film, and the Outstanding Contribution to Cinema, in addition to the statuette, each received a Yakut diamond worth the equivalent of 250,000 USD.
Pakistan has already secured a special place in the history of the Open Eurasian Film Award “Diamond Butterfly”, and the new season of the Award opens up even greater opportunities for its filmmakers for international recognition and creative dialogue within the cultural space.
