The first Listapad festival was held in 1994. The forum was intended to bring together the best features and documentaries made in the post-Soviet space. It debuted as the Listapad Post-Soviet Film Festival. Films from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan took part in the first forums. Over time the festival expanded, earned recognition and officially acquired international status.

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko played a special part in the festival’s rise: his patronage gave it state significance. That status is best symbolized by the two special presidential prizes: the Special Prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus «For Humanism and Spirituality in Cinema» and the Special Prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus «For the Preservation and Development of the Traditions of Spirituality in Cinematic Art.» Every year these prizes go to outstanding films, directors, actors and cultural figures for their contribution to the development of cinematic art and the strengthening of spiritual and moral values.

More than 3,300 applications from 108 countries were submitted for the competition programs of the 32nd Minsk International Film Festival Listapad. In the end, more than 130 films from 55 countries were selected. The festival will present works from Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Mexico, Cambodia, Morocco, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba and other countries. Representatives of Myanmar will attend the festival for the first time.

Screenings will take place at key venues in Minsk: the Moskva, Pobeda, Tsentralny, Belarus and Pioner cinemas. By tradition, films will also be shown in the regions.

Eight competition programs are planned, covering feature, non-fiction and animated films, children’s and youth films under the Listapadzik banner, Cinema of the Young, short films, the National Competition and the competition of national film schools.

The program includes Days of Cinematography of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, India and China. In the Year of the Belarusian Woman, they will highlight the female perspective on cinematic art.

A major premiere will be held at the festival. Audiences will see The Three Sisters, an animated short film nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards, by Russian animator and Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Konstantin Bronzit.

The opening ceremony will take place on 30 October at the Moskva Cinema. Its space will be transformed into an unusual venue with photo and interview areas and spaces for meeting and talking with participants.

The opening entry will be the Belarusian-Russian joint film Batka Minay: The Partisan Legend by Russian director Igor Ugolnikov. The film is part of the competition screening.

The closing ceremony will be held on 6 November at the Moskva Cinema under the motto «With Love from Belarus».

The Listapad organizers promise a packed program. In addition to competition and non-competition screenings, there will be excursions to the Belarusfilm studio, round tables, master classes and creative meetings at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts, the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, the House of Moscow and Belarusfilm.

On 31 October, the National Library will host a round table on Belarusian-Russian cooperation in film production and distribution under the auspices of the Standing Committee of the Union State. On 2 November, the CIS Executive Committee will host a round table of heads and representatives of educational institutions from CIS countries on the development of film education.

On 31 October, the Moskva Cinema will host an evening in memory of Belarusian film director, honored cultural figure and People’s Artist of Belarus Viktor Turov. And on 2 November, there will be an evening in memory of Russian film director Tigran Keosayan, with a screening of his last work, «Seven Days of Pyotr Semyonych.»