A roundtable discussion on the history and modern trends in Kazakh cinema launched the Online Kazakhstan Film Week in London marking the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s Independence.
The film week is hosted by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the UK with the support of Kazakhfilm Studio named after Shaken Aimanov, the Kazakh MFA’s press service reports. The round table discussion was led by Erlan Idrissov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the UK; Professor Peter Rollberg, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research Initiatives at George Washington University; and Professor Birgit Beumers, Professor Emerita in Film Studies at Aberystwyth University.
Professor Rollberg noted that oral tradition, the tradition of acting, and the art of improvisation are strong in Kazakh culture. He spoke in detail about the various stages of Kazakh cinema’s development and highlighted such films as Amangeldy, Our Dear Doctor, The Land of the Fathers, and Sultan Beybars, as well as the legend of Kazakh cinema – actor and director Shaken Aimanov.
Professor Beumers focused on the later periods of Kazakh cinematography – the so-called «new wave» and independent «partisan cinema». She highlighted that the modern trends in Kazakh cinema give Kazakhstan a new voice, which is increasingly heard at major international film festivals. She also stressed the importance of creating conditions for Kazakh cinema to develop, supporting independent cinema, and establishing ties with international film producers.
"It gives a real booster to Kazakhstan to begin to speak in a language that is still its own, but that also has international resonance and universal context. These collaborations are extremely important for Kazakh films to find their way to international audiences."
The Online Kazakhstan Film Week in London showcases outstanding classics of Kazakh cinema, along with the more recent internationally recognized works by Kazakh filmmakers. The first day saw the screening of Sultan Beybars by Bulat Mansurov, which tells the story of a Kipchak boy who was once taken into slavery and became the ruler of Egypt. By the end of his long and dramatic journey, having known power, love, disappointment, and the soul-burning longing for home, the main character returns to where his ancestors lived – his native Kazakh steppes.
The online screenings are accompanied by exclusive interviews with actors and film directors facilitated by renowned UK film critics.
All films within the film week are in English or in Kazakh/Russian languages with English subtitles. The films and the interviews are available here until 15 December 2021.