Film & Censorship: Kyrgyz drama “Kurak” has been denied a censor certificate just before its Bishkek premiere, forcing the film to withdraw from the Bishkek International Film Festival; the creators say they received no clear explanation, despite the movie’s award-winning run abroad and its focus on gender-based violence and patriarchal structures. Arts & Culture: “The Pomegranate Garden” opened in Bishkek, featuring Russian-Azerbaijani artist Alexander Dilbazi’s pomegranate-themed works and a discussion of his evolving artistic journey. Performing Arts: The fairy-tale ballet “Buratino” is set to premiere in Bishkek at the Abdyla Maldybaev Kyrgyz National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet, with young performers from the Bishkek choreographic school taking leading roles. Music & City Life: New light-music fountains near the National Philharmonic in Bishkek have reopened after reconstruction, while Bishkek also hosted the “Symphony of Water and Light” festival with concerts, food zones, and a laser-and-fireworks finale. Sports as Culture: Bishkek’s Night Run drew 3,500 participants, and Tokmok is getting a new sports complex (mini-football, boxing/wrestling halls, table tennis). International Spotlight: Georgia’s PM Irakli Kobakhidze visited Issyk-Kul for an ethnocultural program with Kyrgyz traditions, as Kyrgyzstan and Georgia also discussed direct flights and broader cultural cooperation.