Dear representatives of the film industry, Today marks the start of an important stage in the competition for film projects seeking state support — the pitching session. As you know, we revised the competition rules, incorporating suggestions and opinions from industry professionals to ensure greater transparency. From now on, the competition mechanism is as follows: Advance announcement of priority topics and a two‑month period for scriptwriting; In the first stage, only scripts and script outlines were accepted; Project selection by the Expert Council in three categories: animation, feature, and documentary; In the second stage — verification of the full set of documents; A three‑day window is provided to correct any identified errors. The open defense will take place from 9 to 12 June, and to ensure transparency, it will be streamed online. This year, 99 projects have been admitted to the pitching session. As minister, I am personally overseeing the process. Members of the Expert Council are also making every effort to select worthy, high‑quality, and meaningful projects that will contribute to the development of our national cinema. Our common goal is to expand the horizons of domestic filmmaking. Films produced with state funding are perceived as part of the cultural heritage of our people. Therefore, I am confident that filmmakers will approach their work with great responsibility and strive to create high‑quality, substantive works. Cinema is not only an art form but also a reflection of our culture, history, national identity, and ideology. That is why our ministry will continue its systematic efforts to develop the national film industry. I wish everyone success! Aida Balaeva Minister of Culture and Information