Preparations are underway for the fifth Kazakh film festival, scheduled to take place in Paris from November 29 to December 2. This year, the event will open with the legendary Kazakh director Sultan-Akhmet Khodzhikov’s film ‘Kyz-Zhibek’ in commemoration of his 100th anniversary. Honored Artist of Kazakhstan, Meruert Utekesheva, the leading actress in the film, will make a special appearance. Additionally, the French audience will watch a film portraying the life of renowned Kazakh figure skater Denis Ten. The festival will also feature the compelling drama film addressing domestic violence ‘Baqyt/Happiness’, the film ‘Mountain Onion’, the short film ‘Mad Karim’, and will conclude with the musical film ‘Dos-Mukasan’.
“This year, we wanted to focus on Kazakhstan’s
author cinema and film classics. Among author films, the acclaimed movie
‘Baqyt’ by Askar Uzabayev deserves special attention, as the themes of
violence, particularly domestic violence, and women’s rights are more relevant
than ever today,” said Andre Ivanov, festival director and president of French Association
of Kazakh Cinema.
A business platform will be organized as part
of the festival to bolster partnership between Kazakhstan and France in joint
film production. A traditional showcase of collections by Kazakh
designers will take place as well.
“We chose a slightly different program this
year. Now the four-day festival will include business meetings,
conferences for film professionals from Kazakhstan and France, and meetings
with film schools throughout the daytime, and a series of screenings in the
evenings,” added Ivanov.
Kazakh cinema has already gained recognition among
European audiences. Movies by domestic filmmakers are eagerly awaited
not only in Paris. For the first time in the festival’s history, Kazakh films
will be showcased not only in France but also in Belgium, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Poland, the UK, and African countries.
