This was shared by the well-known Uzbek filmmaker and VGIK graduate Rashid Malikov, who was invited last year by the then-director of the branch, Eldar Yuldashev, to lead a workshop.
Sixteen students expressed their desire to learn under Malikov's mentorship. However, starting in September 2024, according to him, he and his assistant were forced to suspend classes due to the lack of valid contracts with the institution.
"As of today, there is no contract with me as a master. I have no legal right to enter and teach in my workshop," Malikov explained. He stated that other instructors, including Elyor Ishmukhamedov and Odelsha Agishev, found themselves in a similar situation.
"This is a very strange legal situation, and no one is commenting on it," he added, emphasizing that new contracts have not been signed even months after the academic year began.
The director also mentioned that attempts to organize internships for students during the filming of his new movie "Vata," which took place in the Jizzakh region, were also unsuccessful. According to him, an agreement on this was reached with the director of the VGIK branch, Ikbol Melikuziev, and a request was made to the Cinema Agency.
"An order was issued, but despite this, the funds were not transferred, and none of the students ended up going for the internship," the director noted. The only exceptions were two students for whom Malikov managed to arrange work on the filming set.
According to Rashid Karimovich, the Tashkent VGIK lacks accreditation from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, which could hinder students from receiving diplomas upon completion of their studies.
"I learned about this recently and do not understand what diplomas the students I recruited will receive. I am no longer sure that I will see them through to the end, and I do not know who will teach them directing. For them, directing is the main subject, but no one is teaching it right now. The students are very upset about this," Malikov stated.
A correspondent from Podrobno.uz contacted the deputy director of VGIK in Tashkent, Alexey Khmyrov, who confirmed the lack of accreditation for the institute but reported that the accreditation process is underway. Its completion is expected in February of next year.
The editorial office also received a letter from one of the students describing the state of the educational process. In it, the student complains about difficult conditions and the absence of proper education.
"For a long time now, students of the Tashkent VGIK have been fed promises of better conditions. But nothing has changed for the fourth year," the letter states.
It mentions that students face ongoing issues such as a lack of regular classes, teachers, and conditions for a proper educational process. The university lacks a study studio, gym, and specialized classrooms for choreography, and there is a shortage of educational equipment.
"Daily, there are situations where students come to the institute, but there are no classes. Teachers have not been paid for more than seven months. Many have left or are planning to leave, including masters," the student writes.
According to her, the departure of key instructors, such as Dmitry Yanov-Yanovsky and playwright Ilya Kozhukhar, deprives students of the opportunity to gain quality knowledge and experience from true masters.
Furthermore, students are concerned that they may end up without diplomas of the Russian standard, which had been promised by the administration.
"It turns out that students who paid 30 million sums for their education will receive a certificate instead of the promised diploma, which the administration touted so much," the student writes.
It is worth noting that in September of this year, students of the branch of the All-Russian State University of Cinematography in Tashkent complained about studying in a regular "sharaga." In particular, they pointed out that instead of workshops with renowned VGIK alumni, they were assigned mentors who were recent graduates of the Tashkent Institute of Arts and Culture, as well as filmmakers with no affiliation to VGIK. They also mentioned that classes are conducted in Uzbek, despite being stated that the instruction would be in Russian.