Welcome to Punjab and Mera Lyari Nominated at Moscow’s Eurasian Film Awards

MOSCOW: The second international Eurasian Film Awards, Diamond Butterfly, is being held in Moscow, the capital of Russia, today, 12 November. Two Pakistani films, Welcome to Punjab and Mera Lyari, have been included among the nominees.

A distinctive feature of this international ceremony is its awards, which are decorated with precious diamonds. Last year, the winner of the Best Film category received a 10-carat diamond valued at US$1 million. Winners in the other 11 categories were each given five-carat diamonds, each valued at US$250,000.

According to a statement from the press office of the Eurasian Academy of Cinematographic Arts, the Pakistani films representing the country this year are Welcome to Punjab, directed by the well-known Pakistani filmmaker Shahzad Rafique, and Mera Lyari, directed by Abu Alehya.

The nomination of both films for international awards is an important opportunity for Pakistan’s film industry. It may help Pakistani filmmakers introduce their creative talent on the global stage and build links with film industries in other countries.

The awards are organised by the Eurasian Academy of Cinematographic Arts, which was founded by the Russian Ministry of Culture and the Russian Cultural Foundation. The Russian Cultural Foundation also manages the awards.

A glimpse of the first ceremony

The first Diamond Butterfly Awards ceremony was held in Moscow on 27 November 2025, at the Workshop 12 film centre of Nikita Mikhalkov. It was hosted by the well-known Russian actor Sergei Bezrukov. A total of 34 films from 17 countries were presented across 12 award categories.