NOVOSIBIRSK, November 28. /TASS/. Iran and member countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russia-led security bloc, favor the idea of holding an Oscar-like awards show for the Eurasian Movie Academy, Nikita Mikhalkov, a film director and president of the Russian Union of Cinematographers, said.

"Iran and the CSTO countries (Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan - TASS), the whole team, support the idea [of Eurasian Movie Academy Awards]," he said.

According to earlier reports, China was also on board with the idea.

The initiative to set up the Eurasian Movie Academy and hold an accompanying awards show, a kind of Oscars, was voiced by Mikhalkov in the spring of 2022. The first Academy Awards show is expected in 2024. According to Mikhalkov, the Academy’s mission is to promote the "development of the Eurasian space" as it should bring together such countries as India, China, and Korea, which have well-developed movie industries.

Earlier, Mikhailkov told TASS that Chinese President Xi Jinping voiced his support for the idea of a Eurasian Movie Academy and also suggested that a Eurovision-like song contest be established in the Eurasian space.