"Uzbekistan: The Road to Victory" — Premiere of a New Film

A historical and artistic documentary film titled “Ўзбекистон. Ғалабага йўл” (“Uzbekistan. The Path to Victory”), co-produced by the Islamic Civilization Center of Uzbekistan and Russia’s “Divi” film company, is set to premiere soon.
 

This emotionally powerful film, evoking pride and reverence, revisits Uzbekistan’s true heroism during one of the darkest periods in history. The premiere will air on May 8, 2025, at 16:15 Moscow time (18:15 Tashkent time) on the «Россия-Культура» TV channel. It will also be broadcast in Uzbek on «Sevimli» TV on May 9 at 16:20.
 

The film emphasizes themes of unity, compassion, and interethnic brotherhood. It blends historical accuracy with artistic interpretation to honor the past. Key scenes were shot at Tashkent’s Remembrance and Honor Square, the memorial to the Shoahmad Shomahmudov family—who heroically adopted 15 war orphans of different nationalities—and the Victory Park complex.

The documentary highlights the devastating scale of World War II, which involved 61 out of 73 sovereign states at the time, affecting 80% of the global population. Military actions spanned 40 countries, three continents, and four oceans.

In 1941, Uzbekistan’s population was over 6.8 million. Nearly 2 million Uzbeks were sent to the front lines, and more than 500,000 tragically lost their lives. As President Shavkat Mirziyoyev poignantly stated:

“We recall these numbers every year, but they are not just statistics. Behind each one lies the profound grief carried by our humble mothers and grandmothers, our brave fathers and grandfathers, and our entire people. This pain cannot be fully expressed by numbers or words.”

During World War II, the population of Uzbekistan was approximately 6.5 million people. Despite enduring the hardships of war themselves, the Uzbek people welcomed over 1.5 million evacuees from war-affected regions, offering them refuge with open hearts.
 

No matter how often we recall it, the story of blacksmith Shoakhmad Shomahmudov’s family can never be told enough. During the war, this family demonstrated extraordinary humanitarian heroism by adopting 15 children of various nationalities. For 80 years now, their noble act has remained a powerful symbol of humanity—not only for the people of Uzbekistan but also for more than 1.5 million evacuees who found shelter in the republic. Their story has been recognized and honored in many of the world's most advanced countries, from which those evacuees came.


 

The historical documentary series "Uzbekistan. Road to Victory", produced by the Russian film company "Divi" in collaboration with the Center of Islamic Civilization of Uzbekistan, stands as another example of international recognition. This documentary film is dedicated to Uzbekistan's contribution to the lives of thousands of evacuees during World War II. The film involved leading actors, historians, and creative teams from Russia, Europe, and Uzbekistan. Among them is Rustam Sagdullayev, a respected artist of Uzbekistan. The documentary series consists of 5 episodes, each 5 minutes long, and covers the key humanitarian and cultural aspects of the evacuation to Uzbekistan.

Specifically, the film addresses:

• The arrival of evacuees in Tashkent during World War II;

• Uzbek families who took in orphans from various republics as their own children;

• The heroism of Uzbek soldiers and front-line fighters;

• The traditions of mutual assistance that reemerged during the reconstruction of Tashkent after the 1966 earthquake.

This film, expressing the compassion and generosity of Uzbekistan during the most difficult times, gives each of us the opportunity to reflect on the kind of people and country we are.