Kyrgyzstan Picks Kara Kyzyl Sary as Official Entry for 2026 Oscars

The feature film Kara Kyzyl Sary, directed by renowned filmmaker Aktan Arym Kubat, has been officially chosen to represent Kyrgyzstan at the 2026 Academy Awards.

The film will compete in the Best International Feature Film category, which has been part of the Academy Awards since 1956. Each year, countries nominate one film in this category to showcase their cultural and artistic heritage on the global stage, The Caspian Post reports via Kyrgyz media.

Earlier this year, on June 21, Kara Kyzyl Sary secured the Grand Prize for Best Feature Film in the main competition at the Shanghai International Film Festival, further strengthening its international profile.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has put forward its own contender, the film Taghiyev. Oil, for consideration in the same category.