Kazakhstan Cinema Week kicks off in Moscow

MOSCOW. KAZINFORM - The feature film «Shygyrau» based on the eponymous story by Abish Kekilbayev opened Kazakhstan Cinema Week in Moscow, Kazinform correspondent reports.

Within November 18-23 «The Illusion» cinema will screen eight films including «Shygyrau», «Amre», «The Elevator», «Kudalar», «Off-line Vacations», «The Road to Mother» and «The Recorder». The final day of the cinema marathon will screen a movie «The Tomiris».

In his welcoming address the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to Russia Imangali Tasmagambetov said that the Kazakhstan Cinema Week opening is dedicated to the 80th birthday of Abish Kekilbayev, the famous Kazakh writer and statesman.

«His personality is of particular importance for our people and is inextricably linked with the spiritual revival of modern Kazakhstan. Abish Kekilbayev made a huge contribution to the literary heritage of the country», he said.

According to Arman Asenov, president of the Kazakhfilm studio named after Shaken Aimanov, up to 20 films are shot annually in Kazakhstan. «Since the beginning of 2019, Kazakhstani films have been screened at six international film festivals. They gained 17 major awards», he added.

Representatives of the Russian film industry expressed interest in developing joint cooperation.

«First of all, we are interested in films with national color. It seems to me that «The Tomiris» movie demonstrated Asian cinema as beautiful, large-scale and able to be screened on the world stage», said Maria Bezruk, «Planeta Kino» company’s program director.

The Kazakhstan Cinema Week was organized by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Russia with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.