Films chosen for the Festival included the classic 1961 comedy “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” the adventure film “The Goonies,” the hit 1978 musical “Grease,” western classic “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” the recent animated film “Up,” the first color film “The Wizard of Oz,” and finally the recent drama “October Sky.” All of the movies were shown in English with English subtitles except for two that featured Russian subtitles (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Up”).

When sharing their experiences of the Festival, several guests mentioned their desire to see similar events in the future. “I am happy that [this festival] is turning into a great tradition,” said one viewer. Another participant urged, “Please organize it more often.”

The audience enjoyed the traditional quiz prior to each viewing, which contained questions related to the movie or covering a specific aspect of American history or culture. For the correct answer, the winners received a non-fiction book in English or a DVD of an American film.

The American Film Festival became an annual event in 2008. Molly Stephenson, the Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, highlighted the importance of events which “help Uzbek audiences learn more about American culture and traditions, and foster mutual understanding between our nations.”