The reis of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, has declared 2026 the Year of Military and Labor Merit in Tatarstan, with the aim of preserving historical memory as an expression of deep respect for veterans, homefront workers, and defenders of the Fatherland across all generations, as well as to support those involved in contemporary military conflicts and their families.

There is a non-competition program, War, and the World. New Territories within the XXII Kazan International Altyn Minbar Film Festival that will be held on September 4-8, 2026. The program includes the best documentaries about the heroic deeds of Russian soldiers in the special military operation zone and those who do their best on the home front to bring victory over the enemy closer and build a peaceful life in the liberated territories. Nine films are nine sincere and true stories of heroic deeds and everyday routines at the home front, both personal and all-national.

Between the lines, this is how Yana Bekh’s film is called. It tells how two “wars” broke into the life of a family. The main heroine is Maria Batiukhno, a poet from Sevastopol. Her husband went to the special military operation zone. After a while, Maria discovers that she and their son have cancer. Here the struggle begins: the one at the front for the Fatherland and the other at the homefront for both her own life and the beloved child’s life.

Kazan filmmaker and war correspondent Zufar Davletshin presents two films in this program. The Winners’ Code and Front Artists from the “Alga” cycle. The first film shows us that we all bear a sort of genetic code, a code of unity, love for Motherland, and a code of victory. The second one is about another artistic tour to the special military operation zone where the artist lifts the spirits and boosts the morale of the soldiers.

Ekaterina Golovnia’s film I Promise to Return Alive is also devoted to the work of frontline cultural troupes and the way it helps soldiers to keep their spirits up and continue striving to achieve their aim. Such support from cultural workers is a continuation of the traditions established as far back as the Great Patriotic War.

The Bashkortostani filmmaker Radik Kilmamatov presents the film We Don't Abandon Our People. Callsign Iskander.  It is devoted not only to the heroic deeds of those at the military zone but also contributes to the popularization of volunteering. The film features war veterans who, having overcome the physical and psychological consequences of their injuries, formed the “Humanitarian Convoy 102” unit.

Alexander Dalmatov’s The Heroes’ Support. If not Us, then Who? is about the work of a resource center for supporting the participants of special military operations. The center focuses on helping the soldiers’ mothers, whose sons were killed or are missing in action, as well as their wives and children who have lost their fathers.

Artem Semenov, in his documentary Unity, tells the stories of veterans who have successfully reintegrated into civilian life after serving in the Special Military Operation. The heroes of his film serve as role models not only for the younger generation but also for those who have returned from the special military operation and are seeking new goals in life.

In her film Where the Silence Sounds, Olga Starostina gives a word to the women who share their memories of their lost husbands, those who helped locals to survive in the severe war conditions since the start of the special military operation.

One more film within this program is Another Sky by Alexey Romanov.

The official selection screenings will be at Korston cinema and non-competition ones, including War and the World. New Territories at the Mir cinema. The festival will take place on September 4-8, 2026. The schedule is available at the official website https://kazan-mfmk.com/schedule/