The TV BRICS International Media Network will present two documentaries by partners from the Global South to its audience in Russia: "Caribbean Festival: Festival of Fire" (Cuba, 2024, directed by Enrique Fumero) and "Therukoothu" (India, 2025, directed by Vijay Bhaskaran). The films reveal the rich cultural heritage of these countries and demonstrate the importance of preserving folk traditions in the modern world.

The film "Caribbean Festival. Fire Festival" is dedicated to one of Cuba's most significant cultural events. Originally a performing arts festival, it has evolved into a large-scale annual celebration that brings together music, dance and folk traditions from the Caribbean. In 2025, TV BRICS became the international media partner of this event.

"The broadcast of the documentary film "Caribbean Festival. Fire Festival", including in Russian, was made possible thanks to the cooperation between the Caribbean House and TV BRICS. [...] The availability of this material to a wide audience on the international media network will undoubtedly allow us to show the world everything that our city, Santiago de Cuba, has to offer in the field of culture," emphasised Daniela Anaya Vicente, Deputy Director of Communication and Programming of Caribbean House and Chief Coordinator of the Caribbean Festival.

Russian viewers saw the film for the first time in August 2025 during the all-Russian Cinema Night campaign, which included special screenings on TV BRICS. The film premiered on TV BRICS in September. Later, residents of other regions of the country will also be able to see the film: it will be broadcast on Mordovia 24 on 6 November at 7 p.m. (GMT+3), on Channel 10 (Saransk) on 7 November at 5 p.m. (GMT+3), on Afontovo (Krasnoyarsk) on 10 November at 2 p.m. (GMT+3), and on OTRK Yugra (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug) on 24 November at 11:15 a.m. (GMT+3).

The second documentary, "Therukoothu", was created by students. The film is a visual and emotional journey into the world of traditional street theatre in South India, where folk tales come to life in song and dance.

"We're thrilled to see the film gaining popularity abroad, as it allows a global audience to experience the rich cultural heritage and vibrant storytelling of this unique art form. Its international recognition reaffirms our commitment to nurturing talented filmmakers and showcasing diverse narratives to the world," said Upasana Mittal, CEO of the film's production company.

The film was also included in the TV BRICS special screening programme as part of the Cinema Night event at the All-Russian State Library for Foreign Literature named after M. I. Rudomino. In October and November, the film will be shown on TV BRICS partner channels in Russian regions: Mordovia 24 on 30 October at 7 p.m. (GMT+3), Channel 10 on 31 October at 5 p.m. (GMT+3), Afontovo on 3 November at 2 p.m. (GMT+3), and OTRK Yugra on 17 November at 11:15 a.m. (GMT+3).

Partner screenings of documentaries from Cuba and India have become part of TV BRICS' mission to develop cultural dialogue and strengthen humanitarian ties between the BRICS countries and the Global South. The international media network regularly introduces its audience to the works of filmmakers from BRICS+ countries. For example, during the 18th International Film Festival "Salt of the Earth", TV BRICS held special screenings where viewers could see the film "Discovering Ofala" (2023, Nigeria, director – Tochukwu Nwaiwu), dedicated to the ancient ritual of awarding Igwe chieftains, the film "Mergulho" (2020, Brazil, director – Kellen Casara) about the lives of Paralympic athletes, and the joint Russian-Iranian work "Written Heritage" (2024, director – Emir Valinezhad), dedicated to Muslim manuscripts and the history of science and art.

Photo: LeMusique / iStock