The Kazakh cinema Critic Gulnara Abikeyeva, chose three Kazakh works that became the winners of APSA – “The Asian Oscar”
Ashraf Aboul-Yazid
Cinema Critic Gulnara Abikeyeva, Kazakhstan, nominated her best 2023 Movies, starting with “Snow Leopard” by Tibetan director Pema Tseden, who left this world before his last film was shown in Venice Festival. She thinks that no one else in the world could make such a movie about the connection between nature and man. First the monk saves the leopard from the massacre of people, when they literally beat the animal with spikes, and then the leopard saves the same human being.
French director Tom Kaye’s “Le Règne Animal”, “The Animal Kingdom”, shown in Cannes, impresses the imagination with its dramaturgy and psychological ache. As a result of some disease, people begin to turn into animals. And we see father and son fighting for their wife and mother. Nothing can be an obstacle to true love, you love not for appearance.
The Kazakh cinema Critic Gulnara Abikeyeva, chose three Kazakh works that became the winners of APSA – “The Asian Oscar” and they are, of course, in her favorites:
– Aisultan Seitov’s “Kash” – about famine in Kazakhstan. The award was received by cameraman Azamat Dulatov.
– Darkhan Tulegenov’s “Brothers” is a modern story about how two brothers are looking for their father. Young actors Aybar Sala and Alisher Ismailov received the award.
– Askhat Kuchinchirekov’s “Bauryna salu” is the award winner of “Best Film for Children”. A warm picture about the Kazakh custom to give the oldest child to the education of grandparents.
“Perfect Days” is a Japanese picture shot by icon of European cinema Wim Wenders. It’s not only about beauty, it’s also about humanity. The great actor Koji Yakusho deservedly received the Cannes Prize for Best Actor.
“Rapture” by North Indian director Dominic Sangma. For Abikeyeva, this painting became “One hundred years of loneliness”, moved to a small Indian village. According to the plot, people seem to get lost in the forest, so all residents in the village are alert, but evil is not universal, but what people themselves do. And divine salvation also comes from men. APSA Prize for Cultural Diversity
Whispers of Fire and Water is a painting by another Indian director Lubdhak Chatterjee. Indian cinema, contrary to the popular opinion of lute Bollywood, is conquering all the major peaks of the festival Olympus year after year. This film was shown in Locarno and at many other film festivals. I was impressed by the work with sound and image.
Two more Kazakh paintings are in my favorites, both tell about the 1920-1930s – the establishment of the Soviet power in Kazakhstan:
Daniyara Salamat’s “Talak” (Divorce) movie premiere is yet to come. A thin, vivid national picture of how the Soviet power broke into the lives of nomads and shaped it to their own liking.
“The Earth Stopped the Wind” by Ardak Amirkulov – about famine and female, maternal power that allowed the nation to stand. Unforgettable acting work by Zhanar Shokpanova and cameraman work by Alexander Rubanov.
Daishi Matsunaga’s “Egoist” is a Japanese film that Abikeyeva watched at the Puchon Genre Film Festival in South Korea. “Just beautifully done as a director and acting. The history of gays, and at first it wasn’t even very interesting to watch. But the second half of the picture is a poignant story of the pain of loss when one of the partners dies.
Finally, “Citizen Saint” Tinatin Kajrishvili. A harsh Georgian black and white film about a mining town. Behind the usual story, there is a philosophical parable about Christ, that there is still his incarnation today, but we try to ignore it. Georgian nominee for the Oscar in 2024, as Abikeyeva wrote.
Published under the International Cooperation with The AsiaN, Seoul, South Korea
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Ashraf Aboul-Yazid is a renowned Egyptian poet, journalist, novelist, travelogue writer and translator. He is author of around three dozen books and Editor-in-Chief of Silk Road Literature Series.
