The development of business contacts and the international promotion of Kazakhstani films are the main tasks that the organizers of the Kazakh Cinema Days in foreign countries face this year.

Kazakh cinematography is increasingly asserting itself on the world stage. If 10-15 years ago prizes at international festivals were isolated events, now a rare film forum does without our films awarded by the jury and the public.

Over the past year alone, films made with the assistance of the State Center for the Support of National Cinema have gathered a rich festival harvest. Darezhan Omirbayev's «Akyn» won the prize for Best Director at the Tokyo International Festival, and Farhat Sharipov's «Scheme» awarded the Grand Prix in the Generation section at the Berlin International Film Festival. Aizhan Kasymbekova's debut film «Fire», which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival, has a whole bunch of awards. Tolepbergen Baisakalov, the performer of the main role, had three of зкшяуы at festivals in Los Angeles, Sochi and Singapore, and the film took two more for best director and best music in Minsk. In addition, «Fire» took the FIPRESCI Prize (India) at the International Film Festival in Thrissur and became the opening film of the Swiss Black Movie Film Festival.   

Our short films are also highly appreciated by experts. Thus, the film «Mergen» took the prize in the nomination «Best Thriller» at the Shenzhen International Film Festival (China), as well as «Best Director» and «Best Cinematography» at the Golden Wheat Awards Film Festival in Turkey. The films «Grenade» and  «Koshe akyny» are the winners of the VI Baiqonyr International Short Film Festival Prizes – for the best screenplay and best editing, respectively. 

All these successes are certainly encouraging. However, at the same time, the Kazakhcinema is well aware that festivals and competitions are a story more about the author's cinema. It, as a creative laboratory of cinematography, is of great importance – but still it is only part of a large film industry. In addition, in Kazakhstan, they shoot high-quality films designed for wide distribution and mass audience.

- «That is why the Kazakhcinema has taken the initiative to hold Kazakh cinema days in a number of countries near and far abroad», - says Head of International Department of the Kazakhcinema Assel Yrys. This year, the creations of Kazakh cinematographers are planned to be shown to the audience of USA, Canada, France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic, Korea, India, Pakistan, Turkey, UAE, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

According to the plan agreed with the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan it is planned to show 15 Kazakhstani films, including the debut project of Aldiyar Bayrakimov and Venera Kairzhanova «Paralympian», the action movie of Serikbоl Utepbergenov «Time of Patriots», the drama «Zere» by Dauren Kamshibayev, as well as large–scale projects «Kazakh Khanate» by Rustem Abdrashev and «Dawn of the Great Steppe» by Akan Satayev. Its creators – directors, producers or performers of the main roles will present each of the films in the screenings.     

The promotion and presentation of domestic films within the framework of the Kazakh Cinema Days will become a kind of advertising campaign and PR campaign designed to strengthen favorable public opinion about the cultural traditions of our country. The organizers – not without reason – count on interest in the event not only among critics and film critics, but also among a wide range of viewers and media representatives.      

Another goal that planned to achieve with the help of the domestic film talent is to attract new partners and investors to create joint projects, which should also be a step towards the qualitative integration of our country into the world film industry.

05.08.2022